Meatless Supper

I'm not sure how many times this recipe has popped up here on the blog. But it's one of Daddy-O's favorites even though it has no meat. I chose to make this for supper tonight because I'm heading out again in the morning for a few days. I knew that we could have it tonight and Daddy-O can have leftovers tomorrow. He won't mind these leftovers.

I have been on the run for weeks now. Sometimes I think I'm too old to go this much—but then I think maybe I'd better get all the "going" in that I possibly can while I'm still able! Heading back to see the grandgirls and celebrate Baby Girl's first birthday.

This recipe works with bowties or penne, with refrigerated or jarred Alfredo sauce, with or without the spinach. We've done it all of those ways. They were all good. If I happen to have plain diced tomatoes in the pantry, I will usually add a little Italian seasoning to the tomatoes. Tonight my can of tomatoes had all of those good herbs included.

BAKED BOWTIES (or PENNE) with TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

3 cups uncooked bowtie or penne pasta
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (I used diced tomatoes w/basil, oregano, garlic)
2 cups Alfredo pasta sauce (I used refrigerated Buitoni)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 handfuls baby spinach

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with PAM. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat tomatoes to boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly evaporated. Stir in spinach just to wilt it.

Put Alfredo sauce into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 90 seconds on HIGH. Stir in shredded cheese. Heat another 30 seconds to melt cheese. Stir. Mix tomato-spinach mixture into Alfredo sauce.

Put drained pasta into baking dish. Pour sauce over pasta and gently stir to mix together.

Bake uncovered, about 30 minutes, or until hot in center.

 

It's time for spring cleaning. When I was washing windows yesterday and sweeping off the porch, I heard a little roar.

We have a recreational airstrip a couple of miles behind our house, so we are used to having lots of little planes flying over our house and they come and go. (Sometimes there will be 600 planes in for a weekend.) My first thought was that there were planes in the air off in the distance.

I stopped and listened again. And I realized that the cherry tree beside our screened porch was full of honey bees.  I only have a little point-and-shoot camera that fits in my pocket. The tree was FULL of bees. You'll have to take my word for it because I could only photograph this one little bee. The bees were so busy diving into the blossoms that they didn't notice I was inches away from them. 

Spring has truly sprung!