Creamed Spinach Pasta

My son loves creamed spinach, and he loves noodles (well any carb really, but isn't that true for all of us?). So. I decided to combine creamed spinach with noodles for a hearty pasta dish. I had a bit od trepidation heading into this one for fear that it would turn out tasting like those recipes that call for condensed soups as an ingredient, blek. But, I was pleasantly surprised. And my one year old, along with the hubby, were equally impressed.

Creamed Spinach Pasta

1 lb. thin spaghetti pasta (I used the Ronzoni vegetable pasta)

10 oz. frozen spinach

4 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese, in small chunks

1 head of garlic, roasted with salt and olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the head of garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and some kosher salt. Wrap up the garlic and bake in a 400 deg F oven for about 40 minutes. 

Meanwhile, start cooking the pasta according to package directions. Keep an eye on the pasta and when you think there is about 2-3 minutes left of cooking time, add the frozen spinach and stir to combine. The boiling pasta water will instantly thaw the spinach. Wait until the water comes back up to a boil, then drain (using a small colander so the spinach bits don't go down  the drain). 

Return the pasta and spinach to the pot (heat off) and add the cream cheese chunks; combine well. Add more or less cream cheese to suit your preference. Take the head of garlic out of the oven and unwrap. Each clove will be soft and mushy. Squeezing from the bottom, squeeze the garlic out of each clove into a small bowl.  Mash with a fork and add to the pasta mixture; combine all ingredients well, seasoning with salt and pepper,  and serve immediately.