Mother's day is nearly upon us! I'm pretty excited because I've got some fun things planned, for not only me but for other special women in my life. I'm fortunate enough to have four generations in my family right now of ladies that are all perfectly beautiful and amazingly inspiring to me.

The first is my grandmother (we call her Neenaw around here though!) She's a fierce little firecracker bundled up into a cute little blonde that gives some of the most amazing hugs on the plant! Don't let her short stature and usually quiet demeanor fool you though, much as myself, she's a live-wire.

The next is my mother who is a unique, quirky, effervescent and bubbly spirit that I could only do justice by comparing to a fine champagne! She's all about fun. I mean, her favorite color is 'glitter', how fun is that? She's as beautiful as they come, both on the inside and the out; an old soul that just wants everyone around her to be happy!

I'm the third generation. A well blended combination of the other three.

Finally, there's my little girl. Not that I'm bias or anything, but she's pretty amazing! What can I say? She's a girl after my own heart. She knows what she wants and gets it; as hard headed as they come. This one is against the grain, her favorite color is blue and she's the only left-handed person in our family. How's that for standing out?

Just like the four generations in my family, this spaghetti takes unique flavors and puts them into one cohesive and amazing finished product that works beautifully together in the end. This starts out as anything but a traditional spaghetti with the heat of the chipotle and poblano being cooked together into an otherwise familiar hearty and meaty tomato sauce.

This spaghetti actually reminds me very much of one that my mom has made for several years now as a family favorite.

While this sauce does have a little bit of a spicy kick, it's not something that's overwhelming. Some of the more particular and sensitive mouths in the house enjoyed this spaghetti without any complaint. Of course, every pepper is different so you may want to taste-test your poblano before adding it all to the sauce.

The crumbled creamy cheese on top helps to soothe the spices as well.

I honestly can't wait to indulge in the leftovers. Once again I'll get to enjoy this with multiple generations in my family all sitting around my table.

What better way is there to eat a meal other than together with people that you love and adore? And what will they inspire me to do next?

Spicy Chipotle & Poblano Spaghetti
TheSkinnyFork.com - Adapted from Barilla®.

The Skinny:
Servings: 10 • Size: About 1 1/2 Cup • Calories: 345.4 • Fat: 12.8 g • Carb: 33.7 g • Fiber: 4.4 g • Protein: 23.7 g • Sugar: 1.5 g • Sodium: 275.6 mg

Ingredients:
1 Pkg. (14.5 Oz.) Barilla® Spaghetti (I used the Protein+ noodles.)
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lb. Extra Lean Ground Beef
1/2 (3.5 Oz.) Can Chili Chipotle in Adobo, Minced
1/2 C. Poblano, Diced
1 (28 Oz.) Can Crushed Tomatoes
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1/2 C. (About 4 Oz.) Cotija or Queso Fresco Cheese, Crumbled (I used part skim.)

Directions:
Set large pot of water on the stove and let it start heating up to a boil.

While waiting on the water to boil, sauté beef in the olive oil over a medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes or until the meat is browned.

Add in the chipotle and poblano; sauté for about another minute.

Carefully pour in the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of water; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Allow that to simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and toss the noodles in with the hot sauce.

I was able to find my Barilla® noodles at Walmart in several varieties!

Divide evenly among plates.

Top with the cheese before serving and enjoy!