pasta spaghetti carbonaraI LOVE PASTA

After visiting Italy for the second time, I felt a strong need to share my love some of my favorite Italian pasta dishes with friends—especially carbonara. The only problem is that making carbonara can get tricky. But you know me—I can find a way to simplify ANYTHING in the kitchen! With a little playing around, I finally have a recipe anybody can make, and with ingredients you may already have in your pantry and fridge—like bacon.

Try my recipe for Easy Spaghetti Carbonara with Bacon made with Skinner® spaghetti. Share it with your friends, then check out the Texas-sized getaway and other fun prizes Skinner is giving away in their #HowdySkinnerSweepstakes. See details below or visit the link in my profile to enter.

@SkinnerPasta is everybody’s favorite down here in the Lone Star State. It tastes great, is easy to cook and easy on the budget. Plus, in honor of National Friendship Day, Skinner has partnered with Instacart to give you free grocery delivery or $5 off your grocery bill. See details below.

Disclosure: This is sponsored content, but just like I believe in #traveltruth, I also believe in #foodtruth. I’ve been a faithful Skinner pasta user for years. #HowdySkinner #spaghetti #carbonara #recipe #italianfood #bacon #pasta
.

Here’s the recipe for Mel’s Easy Spaghetti Carbonara with Bacon:

1 12oz package of Skinner Spaghetti

2 T olive oil

1 T minced garlicskinner pasta spaghetti carbonara

1 T Fresh ground black pepper

4-5 slices of bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

4 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 T garlic salt

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heads up: It is important to have super-hot, just-cooked pasta AND the starchy pasta water to combine with the eggs, so don’t cook your pasta way ahead of everything else.

Start heating salted water for the pasta.

Combine eggs, Parmesan, garlic salt, pepper, and parsley in a small bowl or measuring cup that is easy to pour from. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet. Add bacon pieces and cook until the fat is rendered from the bacon.

Add spaghetti to water once it boils, stirring once or twice during cooking to loosen the strands.

carbonara with baconAdd garlic to the bacon and oil and continue to cook until the bacon is nicely browned. Remove from heat and set aside until your pasta is cooked.

When spaghetti is barely al dente, remove from heat and dip out about a cup of the pasta water before draining. Do not rinse the pasta. Drizzle a small amount of the pasta water into the egg mixture while stirring briskly to temper the eggs. This will help keep them from turning into scrambled eggs.

Add the hot spaghetti to the bacon/oil/garlic mixture in the skillet. Toss until the spaghetti is coated with the oil. Slowly pour some of the egg mixture over the pasta, then toss the pasta gently. Alternate egg mixture and very small amounts of pasta water until all the egg mixture is incorporated into the spaghetti. The heat from the spaghetti will have cooked the egg mixture and formed a creamy sauce.

Garnish with additional fresh pepper, parsley, and Parmesan before serving hot.

#HowdySkinnerSweepstakes

Got a Bestie? Win a Texas-sized getaway! Visit HowdySkinner.com to enter for your chance to win a three-night stay for you and a friend at the Marriott Marquis Houston including airfare and $500 spending money to enjoy the city’s sites, restaurants and attractions. Other prizes include a membership to Care.com and $500 to give you more “me” time by covering your dog walking, babysitting, and housekeeping services, or free pasta for a year for you and a friend. Sweepstakes kicks off on National Friendship Day (8/6/17) at 12:01 a.m. CDT; ends 9/6/17 at 11:59:59 p.m. CDT Visit www.HowdySkinner.com to enter and see official rules.

Instacart Free Grocery Delivery

In honor of National Friendship Day, Skinner is partnering with Instacart to provide free grocery delivery for customers only in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas. Just buy one (1) package of Skinner pasta and get free grocery delivery. Customers who don’t qualify for free delivery (e.g. Instacart Express Customers or first-time customers) will receive $5 off their order. Delivery must be $35 or more to qualify for free delivery or $5 off.

Disclaimer: This recipe was created as part of a partnership with Skinner Pasta.