Creamy Tomato and Bacon Pasta with Peas

I wanted to title this post "My Experiment with Cream Cheese"....

But, I realized that title had a negative connotation.  I'm not all about negativity here.  ;)

I've never cooked with cream cheese.  But, after this creation, maybe I should start. 

Meet bacon and pasta and tomatoes and cream cheese.

Oh yeah...there are veggies in there too!  Hello green peas.

I like pepper.  I can't lie.  It adorns alot of my dinner creations, much to 1-2's chagrin.  But, I read somewhere it can help burn calories or something.......

Uh, maybe not.  Either way (with pepper or without), its nice.  I had leftovers.  1-2 ate them all.  I declare meals like that a success. 

Sorry for the blurriness...I thought this pic was cool....until I realized the steam from the hot pasta fogged up my lens......

That one is a TAD better.....

I served it with my ranch coleslaw.....

I realized eating this pasta that this dish is what food is all about to me.....simple, easy, and able to be shared with the ones you love.

I'll take that.  Make this soon.  Don't let the cream cheese freak you out.  It does make this dish!

Enjoy!

See ya'll soon~
B

Creamy Tomato and Bacon Pasta with Peas
inspired by Lynn's Kitchen Adventures

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Ingredients:
3/4 of a 12oz. pack of bacon (I used Gwaltney Applewood Smoked Bacon), chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion (1-2 hates onions, so if I was making it just for me, I'd use 1/3-1/2 cup)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
4 oz light cream cheese, at room temp and cut into smaller squares
1 package (13 oz) of whole wheat rotini pasta
1/2 -2/3 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
1.  Chop bacon into pieces.  Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp and browned.  Remove bacon pieces from pan and drain on paper towel.  Pour off all but 2 tbsp of bacon grease.  Add onion and cook until tender.
2.  Once onion is tender (about 2-3 minutes), add tomatoes (juice and all).  Stir well and add bacon back to pan.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
3.  While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to your directions, adding peas the last few minutes of cooking time to warm them through.  Drain pasta.
4.  After 10 minutes has passed on the sauce, stir in cream cheese until cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.  
5.  You can either add pasta to skillet and mix to combine (what I did) or serve it on top of the pasta.