Italian Bow Ties

Posted by Lori:
One of my favorite hobbies is creating new dishes. To me it's fun to look in the pantry, see what's in there, and create something new! Of course, not everything is successful. In fact, there have been some total disasters!

When my husband and I married, 21 years ago, I decided that I wanted to write a cookbook for newlyweds. I had been cooking since I was in grade school and in fact, wanted to be a home economics teacher all through high school (I still might someday, except for now it's called "Family Science" in most schools!). I knew how to make some things without a recipe and without measuring, but wanted to write things down step by step for others for the newlywed cookbook. The first time I tried measuring was on something simple...pinto beans. I added MANY TABLESPOONS of chili powder! They were horrible, of course, and there was no way we could eat them; the dog didn't either! We still laugh about that day.

My latest creation - "Italian Bow Ties" turned out great! It passed the taste test of the five judges (plus me) here in my house. Of course, some liked it more than others, but everyone agreed that it's a keeper. I think it might be good with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, too. The kids also got to name the new recipe, so they thought that was fun!

ITALIAN BOW TIES

1 box bow ties (Farfalle noodles)- I used Barilla brand, with whole grain/extra fiber
2 cans petite diced tomatoes (I had to use one can that was not petite, but would prefer both to be petite)
2 Tablespoons butter (if desired)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt

Cook noodles per package directions. Drain and return to pot. Add tomatoes, butter, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt. Cook on medium heat until heated thoroughly.

I grew up in a small town called Eldorado, Oklahoma. The school cafeteria was great! One thing they would serve was tomatoes and noodles. Mom mentioned this dish recently and said she's been making that lately herself for she and Dad. As a teacher she remembered eating it at school, too. This recipe is based on that simple dish the cafeteria served us many years ago. I served it with "Creamy Italian Chicken", another creation I'll share with you soon!