Lemon pasta

I made this lemon pasta to go with the chicken salad we had the other day mostly for the baby who I knew wouldn't even try the salad. Unfortunately, he wouldn't try this either. I found the recipe on the sisterscafe. However, I lightened it up a good deal taking out a Tablespoon of butter and a Tablespoon of oil. I could probably take out another Tablespoon of butter and still be just fine, to me the flavor of this dish is in the lemon, so I used a bit more lemon in the sauce. I should have cut the cooking time back (I think since I had lightened it.) The flavor was great, but I wish it would have been a little more saucy, but that could easily have been remedied by cooking less time. I also added mozzarella on top instead of pure parmesan since my smaller kids are more fond of milder flavors.

I think this could easily be a main dish if you added chicken, and it would be tasty. Especially with the grilled lemon chicken from the previous salad recipe.)

Ingredients

• 1 pound Thin Spaghetti
• 3 Tablespoons Salted Butter
• 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 whole Lemons, Juiced And Zested (about 3 Tablespoons juice and a heaping teaspoon zest)
• 2 cups Sour Cream (I used fat free - HEB makes a great brand)
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• Grated Parmesan Cheese and/or Mozzarella cheese
• Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
• Extra Lemon Juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente. In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Add the lemon juice and zest, the salt and sour cream and stir until smooth. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (I baked only 7 minutes more but I don't think I would do any more, just remove after 15 minutes - I'd have to look at it though.) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. (I didn't do this because I was making way too much dinner this day, but it would be tasty, so I leave it in the instructions.) Top with mozarella and Parmesan cheese (I then covered mine to let the cheese melt) Top with chopped parsley. Add more lemon juice as desired. (wish I would have done this, but the flavor was pretty good with the extra lemon in the sauce.)

7/26/2010
I remade this today with the following ingredients:

• 12 oz (3 cups) elbow macaroni (I wanted to use bowties, but had open boxes of elbow)
• 2 Tablespoons  Butter
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3 whole Lemons, Juiced And Zested (about 3 Tablespoons juice and a heaping teaspoon zest)
• 1 15 oz. container sour cream (I used fat free - HEB makes a great brand)
• pinch  Salt
• Grated  Mozzarella cheese

I also just put on the cheese and baked it for 15 minutes.  It was much better in the moisture arena but super lemony.  I may cut it back to 2 lemons with the lesser amount of pasta.