Bow Tie Pasta Extraordinaire

Sorry it has taken about a year to actually post this recipe. It's not that I didn't want to share, I've just been busy! :)

Bow Tie Pasta with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Artichoke Sauce with Grilled Chicken.

Ingredients:

1 Box Farfalle (Bowtie) Pasta

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil/drained

1 jar (or two) if you prefer marinated artichoke hearts/drained

Salt and Pepper

1/2-3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Grilled Chicken Breast Strips

Directions:

First, if you are really a cuisine guru you would want to grill your own fresh chicken breasts. However, for this recipe I find that cheating is just fine. I like to use the Hormel or Hillshire Farms brand of pre-cooked strips located in the deli meat section of the grocery store. For my family I will use 2 6 oz packages.

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, I like mine al dente. While it is cooking in a saute pan add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, heavy cream over medium heat and allow to come to a simmer. The sauce should turn a slight shade of pink. I like to add the chicken to the sauce as well at this point, or if grilling your own, you could add the sliced morsels to the top or side of the pasta before serving. Drain the pasta and return to pasta pot. Cover with the parmesan cheese and then add the sauce and mix together. Serve immediately.

Gratitude Amidst Sorrow

Since the death of a dear friend's son I've felt the need to express my appreciation for people who serve this country in the sincerest of ways. Soldiers who leave loved ones behind, give the most precious item they have, themselves. Many willingly serve and time and time again, consistent in their determination to, one by one, make a difference in the life of another. Many of these brave few face harm but they do not run blindly into it. They know at some point they will stare down that horrific beast and they go out and do it again and again. 

I know a handful of these soldiers and I believe they go with hope in their hearts, determination in their strength, and belief in a freedom that they know allows them to choose their path. I am amazed at their generosity, at their loyalty, at the price that some must pay, and at the grief we all feel when someone is taken without our permission or understanding. Whether or not they walk back into our arms or into the hearts of people whose lives they touched with their own, they are infinitely more than heroic. 

Thank you for your sons and daughters.