Busy Busy/ Zucchini Pasta

This summer has been ridiculous in more than a few ways.  The last few weeks have been filled with lots apartment hunting and then moving, sprinkled with interview after interview, a pinch or two of fun, and a whole lot of soul searching.

Exhausted kitties.

It's been tiring.  And there's been no time for cooking. :(

Until this week, I finally paused for a moment to make dinner with my friends (I also paused for another moment to make muffins, but more on that later).  Not only was it pretty tasty (our veggie-disliker even had seconds!), but it felt pretty darn good, too.  Mind-clearing.  Like kitchen-yoga.

I made this recipe last summer, but it came out way better this time, with a few minor changes.  It used up a whole zucchini (you know how those zucchinis pile up!) and was rather healthy... except for the "covered in cheese" part.  But you know how I roll.

Summer Zucchini Pasta, Take 2

1 med. to large zucchini
1 box fettucini -- I found a veggie one at Hannaford (Garden Delight) that was perfect
1 block of cream cheese (go low fat only if you must)
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
a few tablespoons aka "don't be afraid of the" olive oil
a few leaves of basil, fresh from the porch
salt and pepper to taste

1. First, julienne the zucchini as thin as possible.  This was made much easier with the use of a mandolin, though we feared our lives (or at least, our finger tips).

2. Put on the pasta water.  Begin melting the cream cheese with salt and pepa, the juice of half the lemon, and 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Use the olive oil to thin it out so it spreads over the pasta.

3. Boil the pasta.  When it's almost done, throw in your zucchini to soften it up.

4. Mix your pseudo-alfredo into the drained pasta and zucchini mix.  Sprinkle on the torn basil and the zest of half the lemon.  Pretty!

So easy for summer.  And chock full of veggies!!  I really think the garden pasta makes the dish.  And a little cream cheese never hurt anybody... right?