Hearty pasta dish for a cozy Sunday

Happy New year to all! I had quite an enjoyable weekend hanging with my friends and Hubs. Of course the 3 days off still seemed too short, and I’m not really looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow. This has been a cozy and relaxing Sunday, so I wanted to make a meal that reflected my mellowed out mood today. I’m going to get back to laying under a blanket on the couch while surfing the internet, please enjoy this recipe! Its so hearty and filling, but packed full of healthy stuff as well.

Pasta with Bacon, Kale and Sun-dried Tomatoes recipe from Cooking Light

***This recipe calls for Orecchiette pasta which I have NEVER been able to find anywhere. I used medium shells. (100% whole wheat of course) I also substituted the Kale for rainbow chard which was the best looking green at the store

8 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta
5 cups bagged prewashed kale
2 slices center-cut bacon
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1. Cook pasta in boiling water 8 minutes or until almost tender. Add kale, and cook 2 minutes. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon; crumble and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add sun-dried tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and garlic to drippings in pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add pasta mixture, reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid, black pepper, and salt to pan; toss to combine. Top pasta mixture evenly with bacon and cheese; drizzle evenly with lemon juice.