Spaghetti with Alfredo Sauce, Fresh Tomato, and Kale.

Why not Linguini?  Because I don't have any in the cupboard.

I went with Ree Drummond's Alfredo Sauce recipe from her t.v. show.  The Alfredo from her blog adds the shredded cheese with the pasta, instead.  We joked that we were having ice cream for dinner; it's pretty rare for me to serve something so rich.

My daughter was worried that tomatoes were going to ruin the Pasta Alfredo.  Because the juices might dilute it.  So for her, I got the juice and squishy parts out of the tomato and chopped them.

The kale I cooked separately in an iron skillet, with some store-bought pesto to season it.

The adults mixed the pasta, tomato, and vegetables in together on their plates.   Some children ate their vegetables as solo side dishes instead.  The surprise was the kale went first.

I think it's funny that the pesce-vegetarian in the house loves Pioneer Woman Cooks recipes.  Ree Drummond lives on a ranch and does a lot of meat dishes, but the vegetarian dishes are often hearty.

Pantry Pasta

Pasta Tubes
Jar marinara sauce
jar roasted bell pepper
jar artichokes
smashed garlic croutons
mozzarella cheese

in bowls at table to add:
diced ham
anchovies
kalamata olives
canned olives

Dinner after the museum

After our visit of the season to Shelburne Museum, a few days before it closed for the winter.

Improved vegetable soup
pomegranate
Family Tuna Melt

The Family Tuna Melt
Split an unsliced loaf of bread lengthwise.  Scoop out and set aside some bread to make a bowl that will hold more.  Butter the bread surface, sprinkle some cayenne on it.
Mix three cans of tuna with mayo.
Spread tuna on bread
top with cheese
broil 2 minutes.
If the bread is still cold, lower rack and bake at 300 until warm.


Improved Vegetable Soup
Basic soup was broth-carrots-celery
Added: diced tomato and spinach.
Major Improvement.
Garnish with pesto