Craving Bacino’s

Bella Bacino’s holds a sweet place in our hearts, as we remember it fondly as the place both Jason and I worked when we moved in together way back in 2005.  The pizza there is one of our favorites, and through this pregnancy I have craved nostalgic food!  We had the Margarita and also the Sausage and Mushroom pizzes ( thin crisp crust) and mussels to start as we relaxed on the patio sipping San Pelligrino and enjoying the warmish weather, spring is here people!!  It was such a beautiful night, and true to form Jason was not without his camera, so we snapped some great pictures of my belly’s progress.  We are so happy and so excited that it is April and baby boy should be here very very soon!

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Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Mint, Zucchinis, and Parmesan Crisps

Parmesan Crisps:

adapted from Ellie Krieger’s Comfort Food Fix

Ingredients

2 oz parmesan, finely shredded

1 tsp. dried minced onion

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. poppy seeds

1 tsp. flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.  Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Place rounded spoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on prepared pan, flatten slightly with your spoon or fingers to form 2.5″ diameter.  Bake for 8 minutes, till golden.  Allow to cool on pan before removing, enjoy!

Penne with Zucchini and Mint

adapted from So Easy

Serving size: 2 cups, makes 4 servings

Ingredients

¾ box (12 ounces) whole-wheat penne pasta
¼ cup olive oil
5 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini (8 ounces each), sliced into ¼-inch-thick half moons
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1½ ounces)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente and according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, add the oil and garlic to a large deep skillet and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is lightly golden, about 6 minutes; be careful not to let the garlic burn. Add the zucchini. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper.

Drain the pasta, then return it to the pasta pot. Add the zucchini mixture, Parmesan cheese, and mint, and toss to combine.