Hi Thursday.

Ermehgersh you guys.  I made a really really great dinner last night.  So good that my husband said "wow, this makes me *#%!@*@^&$!" 

Now I am sure that versions of this recipe are all up on that schmancy place called Pinterest, but this is something I made up.  On my own.  Without Pinterest.

Why the chip on my shoulder with Pinterest? 

It is because I am...deep down...afraid.

Afraid that it will make me feel inadequate for not having homemade hair jewelry.  For having a lack of decorative hand-enscripted wall hangings.  For only knowing one way in which to wear a scarf.  For a deficit of hand-prepared lemon curd in cute little jars with old-timey fabric and ribbon and homemade shortbread cookies on which to serve ON PURPOSEFULLY-MISMATCHED-PLATES-FROM-ANTHROPOLOGIE.

I can make me feel inadequate on my own, thank you very much.

But no feelings of inadequacy from this recipe.  Enjoy.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
-1 box whole wheat penne pasta
-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about a pound), pounded to 1/2 in thick
-1 1/2 cups chopped celery
-1 cup chopped yellow onion
-1 Tbsp oil
-2 cups skim milk
-1/4 cup butter spread
-1/4 cup all purpose flour
-5 oz blue cheese crumbles
-1/2 cup Buffalo sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
-1 cup shredded Colby Jack

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add pasta.  Meanwhile, sprinkle a bit of Lawry's and cumin (if you want) to the chicken breasts.  Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until internal temp is at least 160.  Go drain your pasta, add it back to the pot, and set the cooked chicken aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil and add chopped celery and onion.  Cook until slightly softened and beginning to brown.  Add to pasta pot.

Now go and cut up the chicken into 1/2 cubes.  Add to pasta pot.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter spread over medium heat.  Whisk in flour until smooth.  Add 1 cup milk.  Whisk until smooth.  Add second cup of milk.  Get a spatula and stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken and boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in a pinch of pepper and your blue cheese crumbles.  The blue cheese won't completely melt- this is ok. 

Stir in Buffalo sauce.

Pour sauce over pasta/chicken mixture and stir to combine.  Go coat a 9x13 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Spread pasta evenly.  Top with shredded Colby Jack and bake 15-20 minutes, or until cheese gets lightly browned and bubbly.

Makes 8 servings.  Per serving: 350 calories, 45 g carbs, 5.5 g fat, 30 g protein.