3/4 lb Fresh asparagus spears or - one 10-oz. pkg. frozen - asparagus 2 cn (14-1/2-oz.) stewed tomatoes - cut up 1 tb Dried parsley flakes 1/2 ts Dried basil, crushed 1/2 ts Dried oregano, crushed 1/8 ts Ground red pepper (optional) 1 c Evaporated skim milk 10-oz. multicolored pasta - such as wagon wheel or - corkscrew 6 oz Lean fully cooked ham, cut - into bite-size strips 1 sm Red or green sweet pepper - cut into strips Grated Parmesan cheese (opt) Snap off and discard the woody bases from the fresh asparagus, if using. Bias-slice the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. (Or thaw and drain the frozen asparagus.) FOR SAUCE, in a medium saucepan combine stewed tomatoes, parsley, basil, oregano, and ground red pepper, if desired. Bring to boiling. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, about 15 minutes or till reduced to 2-1/2 cups, stirring occasionally. Add the evaporated milk all at once, stirring constantly. Heat mixture through; do not boil. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions EXCEPT add the asparagus, ham and sweet pepper to the boiling water during the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables. To serve, place pasta mixture on a serving plater. Spoon the sauce over the pasta. Serve with Parmesa cheese, if desired. Serve at once. Makes 4 or 5 main-dish servings. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: 465 calories, 4 g fat, 15 meg chol. SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, March 1993
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