Name: Creole Noodles
Ingredients: 1 m onion, chopped; 1 m bell pepper, cut in 1" wide strips; 2 T oil; 2 c chopped tomatoes, lightly drained (fresh, canned, or mixed); 2 c sliced okra (or green beans), cut in 1" pieces; 4 sprigs parsley; 2 t minced fresh hot pepper (or .25 t hot pepper sauce); 1/2 t dried basil or a few fresh leaves, chopped; 1/2 t salt (reduce if tomatoes are salted); 3 c cooked noodles or whole wheat spirals or shells; 2 c cooked kidney or pinto beans, drained

Creole Noodles

Ingredients

1 m onion, chopped
1 m bell pepper, cut in 1" wide strips
2 T oil
2 c chopped tomatoes, lightly drained (fresh, canned, or mixed)
2 c sliced okra (or green beans), cut in 1" pieces
4 sprigs parsley
2 t minced fresh hot pepper (or .25 t hot pepper sauce)
1/2 t dried basil or a few fresh leaves, chopped
1/2 t salt (reduce if tomatoes are salted)
3 c cooked noodles or whole wheat spirals or shells
2 c cooked kidney or pinto beans, drained

Instructions

serves 4. Saute onion and bell pepper in oil in a 3-quart pot for 5 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, okra or green beans, parsley, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are just tender. Add pasta and beans and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. NOTE: For 3 cups noodles, cooks 2.5 c (5 oz) pasta in boiling saled water for 10 minutes or until barely tender. This can be done either in advance or while the sauce simmers. Menu Suggestions: Serve with a cheese appetizer or with Broccoli Hollandaise; serve with a green salad. Use fresh fruit for dessert. Personal experience: We used okra, canned tomatoes, canned red beans, fresh basil, ordinary spirals, & hot pepper sauce, but apparently not enough hot stuff, as it wasn't very spicy. We actually made it in the microwave and it came out fine. Needs more "sauce" though-maybe a can of tomato sauce or V-8. Good reheated in the microwave for work lunches. A little Parmesan cheese on top was good.