Skillet pasta with lemon, onion, and fennel

I love skillet pasta and I made this on a Friday when I was trying to make the "sauce" without using a red-sauce or a cream-sauce. Just a broth-sauce.

Skillet pasta is great for Friday because it's not a ton of work if you are tired after a long week. I tried to have my son help me...he helps my husband cook a lot of the time. I guess it's "fun" with daddy and not with mommy. But mommy does a lot more chopping, a lot less mixing. He did weigh out the pasta for me.

Skillet Pasta with lemon, onion, fennel, and a ton of other stuff:
1 Tbsp canola oil: 0.03
1/2 onion, diced: 0.15
1 piece fennel, chopped: 0.75. I don't like fennel.
10 oz frozen chopped spinach: 1.00
2 Tbsp rosemary/ italian herb blend: 0.25
1 clove pressed garlic: 0.05
1/2 c. dry white wine: 0.40

5.5 to 6 cups water
1 vegetarian bouillon cube: 0.38
12 oz pasta: 0.75
1/4 c. cream cheese: 0.25

2 cubes homemade pesto: 0.40
2 oz mozzarella: 0.13
1/4 c sliced olives: 0.30
1/2 c. frozen peas: 0.15
zest and juice of 2 lemons: free
S&P to taste

Total: $4.99 for 8 servings. $0.62 per serving. Most cookbooks would call this 4 servings. But that's why many of us are overweight. We ate this with steamed beets on the side.

Saute the onions and fennel in a large non-stick skillet until soft. Add the frozen spinach and cook until the water is mostly gone. Add the spices and the garlic and cook one more minute. Add wine and cook until the liquid is gone.

Add the pasta, water, bouillon cube, and cream cheese and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 15 to 18 minutes, or until water is absorbed. I had a bit too much water and had to take the lid off.

When you've got your desired consistency, add the rest of the stuff that you don't want to over cook: peas, pesto, cheese, olives. Stir until well mixed. Finish it off with the lemon zest and juice.

This was SOOOO lemony and delicious. A little to salty, which is odd, since I normally undersalt things.