Pasta & Peas.

Here's the thing: when I'm at school, I eat really weird things. And not strange in the sense of like, gross/bizarre things. Strange like I'll eat the same thing for dinner for two weeks or so.

For instance, I went through a quesadilla phase three semesters ago (Spring '10). I would use my newly purchased quesadilla maker and I would eat one like every single day for lunch. Probably not the healthiest option but... oh well.

I also went through a chicken and cheddar cheese phase the following semester (Fall '10). I would cook raw chicken and eat that and then I would eat slices of (Tillamook) cheddar cheese. Weird combination but that is what I ate.

The following semester, (Spring '11) I incorporated the raw chicken and made it even better. One day at Winco, I found wagonwheel pasta and I got a huge bag of it. That semester it was definitely my pasta+alfredo sauce semester. But once I got the wagowheels, I became more creative. I would cook the pasta while simultaneously cooking chicken while simultaneously cooking frozen peas. And I would time it just perfectly so that they would be done at the same time. Then I would dice the chicken (if I hadn't already cooked it Rok-style on the stove), pour the pasta on top of the peas (that were already in a bowl) and add the chicken on top and then pour alfredo on everything.

I liked to pretend that this dinner was nutritious. I mean, pasta, chicken, and peas; very healthy. And let's just say I would eat this a lot. It's delicious though, I suggest you try it.

Anyway, the other day, after going on a little shopping adventure (that included two new pairs of shoes for me!) and trying to play with some puppies at Petco, Jack and I decided to go grocery shopping for my mom. So while wandering through the aisles of Safeway and much to our surprise and excitement, we find: Mini Wagonwheel pasta. Yes!

We quickly snatched up two boxes and collected the rest of our items and headed home.

Now, the weekend was rather chaotic so the sat on the shelf in our pantry until Monday or so. When I decided to make some for us.

When they cooked, they were basically normal size (which was too bad, I was hoping they'd be mini) but I added some frozen peas and alfredo and boy was it delicious.

I've had it for a snack on Monday.

Lunch and Dinner on Tuesday.

A snack/half a meal on Wednesday and I might or might not be craving it right now and already planning on having some when I get off of work.

You could say I'm a little obsessed. When I make it now, I don't cook the peas first and it is still delicious as ever. I just throw some frozen peas (okay, lots more than some) on top of the pasta and it's marvelous.

I would recommend that everyone try this wonderful concoction. But warning: it does taste MUCH better if you have wagonwheel pasta.

Another side note: I do have eating trends that vary from semester to semester but one that is constant is my love (or obsession) for baby items. I've bought a baby pineapple, a baby loaf of bread (that we turned into baby grilled cheese sandwiches), baby chocolate cakes, baby packages of crackers, etc. Which is also why I was so overjoyed with my mini wagonwheel find. :)