BLT Pasta

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Don't let the idyllic setting fool you.

It’s been one helluva weekend and the week didn't start out any better. It makes me kind of wonder what I may have done in a past life that has now caught up with me. Axe murder? Tyrant? Politician?

It felt like if it could go wrong, it did, or will some time soon. On the weekend it was my fur-son's health (and will be from here on out). This week’s treasure—so far—includes having to purchase a whole new furnace, just one in a myriad of things to distract me from trying to build my business down here in “God’s green acres.” (Note the sarcasm.) 

A furnace is marginally less expensive than I thought, but it feels like I am haemorrhaging money as if I’ve opened up an artery. Delightful.

I need a drink. Or, since I don’t drink much any more, some good old fashioned comfort food – again. My last post was comfort food, wasn’t it? Yes it was... Hmmm.

On a more useful “problematic note” I am now officially inundated with Roma tomatoes. A full pot of sauce is currently cooking on the stove. They're also in various piles on the counter, so whatever I make better contain some. Luckily this recipe does.

When I used to work in the city one of my more favourite sandwiches for lunch was the toasted BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomato) available at a local grocery. But that doesn’t really fit the bill for a full dinner.

What if you could include all those flavours in, say, a pasta dish. Well you can, and it takes only slightly more time as making a BLT sandwich.

It really did improve my mood, slightly. Can you imagine how I would have written this if it hadn’t? Regular readers will note the difference in my “delivery.”

Oh well. Deep breaths. This too shall pass. Change is the only constant. I have to remember I am loved. In the meantime I think I’ll have some more BLT pasta. It’s actually really good.

BLT Pasta

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 10 min  |  Serves 4

1/2 lb penne or rigatoni

3/4 lb bacon

2 lg garlic cloves

5-6 Roma tomatoes, in large dice

1/2 cup coffee cream

4 cups swiss chard leaves, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 tbsp dried)

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 tsp cracked black pepper

salt to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and then let sit in warm water while you make the sauce.

Chop the bacon into 1” wide pieces. Fry in a large sauté pan until browned. Then remove and reserve, leaving the fat.

Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes, cream a little salt and the pepper. Bring to a boil and let cook for a couple minutes until they just start to break down. Then add the chopped swiss chard.

Cover the pot and let the mixture cook until the chard has wilted.

Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce, the reserved bacon basil and parmesan. Taste for salt and adjust.

Grate additional parmesan on top at the table.

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