Recipe Sunday! :)

So, I owe you a recipe.. as I do every Sunday. But first, let me tell you a little about why I wanted this recipe.

My husband and I went to dinner a couple years back, and we had gone to this new Mediterranean restaurant in our hometown. There was so many good things we had heard about it, so we had to check it out.

IT. WAS. AMAZING.

It was the first date we had gone on in a while, due to our jobs- and not really making much money. When I tried the penne pasta I had, I was sooo blown away. I had never had anything like this before.

Penne pasta, yes. Mediterranean food, no.

Anyway, it was a date I would never forget. So, what do I do? I wanted to try and replicate the recipe, plus and minus a few things. Take a look below.

photo courtesy of Google Images

Garlic Pork Penne Pasta

8 oz. Penne Pasta (I used Barilla Protein +) cooked, drained, set aside.

1/2 cup. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and 1 tsp for water

3 tsp. minced garlic (I used the kind in a jar, but you can use 3 cloves of fresh garlic if you wish)

1 pkg. thin-sliced pork chops, cut in cubes- set aside

1/3 cup. Pork Chop seasoning (I make my own, the recipe is below)**

1 tsp. garlic salt, or more if you like it really salty.

1 cup feta cheese 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, bring 2.5 cups of water to a boil. Add the 1 tsp of EVO oil to the water, as well as a pinch of salt.

2. While water is coming to a boil, get a medium skillet and add the EVO oil and garlic into the skillet, and cook at Med-Lo. You don't want the garlic to burn. When the garlic is almost done (reaching an almond color), add the garlic salt. Stir together. When finished, set the sauce aside.

3. Pour the noodles into the boiling water, and turn the temp to medium.When noodles are done, drain and set aside.

4. However, while the noodles are cooking- grab a large skillet. In a large ziplock bag, toss the pork in the seasoning. Then, bring pork to the large skillet to cook until done. I like mine a little brown, so I cook it a little longer. When pork is done, turn the temperature off, and let it rest for a moment.

5. Pour the garlic sauce into the noodles, and toss. Then, add the Parmesan cheese and toss again. Pour the noodle mixture in with the cooked pork. Lightly toss, just to incorporate it all together. Then, last but not least- add the feta cheese and toss.

Enjoy!

Oh! That's right, I owe you my famous pork chop seasoning. It's a little spicy, but every time I add this to any recipe it gives it a POP. My husband says the flavors just "explode in your mouth".. Lol. I guess that's good considering I just mixed seasonings together until I was satisfied.

Dee's Pork Chop Seasoning

1/4 cup Lemon-Pepper seasoning

2 tsp. Cayenne pepper

3 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Salt

That's it! All I do is shake it all together in a ziplock bag, and store it in a plastic container. It's simple, and most of all- delicious.

I've only ever used it on pork, so if you try it with chicken or anything else and it's delicious, let me know!

Anyway, there it is guys! I love y'all, and I hope y'all have a marvelous week! I'm so excited this sub-term is almost over! LOL.

As always, let me know how you like this recipe!