Celebrate a good year with elegant pasta

I loved 2007. What a great year. I turned 50, we had a dream trip to France, and at the end of the year I started a wonderful new job. This was the year daughter Jessie married Jake in Virginia-- what a picture perfect event. Our other children in all corners of the country are doing well. We adopted a puppy girl who is fun every minute. And in 2007, I started this blog.

My goals for 2008? Make more time for exercise, do what I can to make my new bosses happy they hired me, be a better wife, daughter, mom and friend, read more books, train the pup well, and keep cooking so I'll have lots to blog about.

Happy New Year to everyone and thanks for your great feedback and kind comments about the blog. Let's end 2007 with a recipe that I like to make after the holidays, when I always seem to have leftover ham on hand and half a carton of heavy cream in the fridge.

Pasta with ham and peas in cream sauce

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic
1-1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped
1-3/4 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
16 ounces rotini pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce. Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and water; cover and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic. Cook, uncovered, two minutes more. Add ham and cream. Cook until thickened, about 7 minutes. Stir in peas and spices; cook until peas are heated through. Drain pasta, add to sauce and stir well. Stir in the Parmesan. Serve immediately with crusty bread and a nice salad.