Lighter Baked Lemon Pasta

I get a real kick out of taking recipes that are pretty horrible for you and making them just a wee bit healthier. I do love me some cream, but if a recipe calls for a cup of heavy cream... I'm probably not going to make it as the recipe states. One recipe that I lightened up and really loved was lighter creamy garlic pasta. I wouldn't have made it the way it was originally written but my modification were delicious. Same goes for this lighter baked lemon pasta. The original recipe for this come from The Pioneer Woman. That means classic country cookin'- butter, sour cream, and lots of it. I'm all about butter and cream but not just for Tuesday night's dinner! This version was amazing. The tomatoes really accented the lemon and helped to thin out the thick sauce. This didn't taste "light"- in fact it still tastes mighty decadent. This still isn't the healthiest recipe out there, but it sure is a lot better for you than the original.

One of the best things about this is it can be assembled the night before and just thrown in the oven before dinner time. That's always a big hit in my house!
                  
Source: Heavily adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
1/2 pound spaghetti
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 cup light cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 375. Prepare the pasta according to packaging instructions.
2- In a skillet heat the oil and butter. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant. Stir in the lemon juice, cream, and chicken broth. Cook 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3- Stir in the sour cream, 1 tbsp lemon zest, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
4- Add the pasta to the skillet, tossing well.
5- Transfer the pasta to a baking dish.
6- Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 7-8 minutes.
7- Top with parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.