Creamy Tuscan Pasta

A meatless pasta dish you can make now and freeze for a busy day is this week's Meatless Friday featured recipe, shared by Barbara Stein.

A delicious meatless pasta that is hearty, and tasty, and freezable is a real treat. Double this one, and you have a meal stashed away for a rainy day! It's a quick and easy dish to make, and if you have picky eaters, you can easily pull the sun-dried tomatoes out of a bowl for one child.

Creamy Tuscan Pasta

serves 8

1 lb. box of bowtie pasta
4 T. butter
2-4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press (to taste)
1/2 T. dried basil
8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 8 pieces
8-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, drained and chopped
2 cups milk
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. salt, more to taste, if needed

In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring the whole time. Stir in the dried basil. Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it will become a smooth creamy paste. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.

Over medium heat, add the milk and whisk quickly and constantly until it stirs into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency, 5-10 minutes. Toss with hot, cooked pasta.

When making them into freezer meals - put the noodles and sauce into two 9x9 foil tins. Wait until it cools down a little, place foil on top, and stick in the freezer.

To cook when frozen: Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through

To cook when frozen but then thawed: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Recipe modified from Six Sister's Stuff