Lake Anita, IA

Carmen:




Yesterday we drove 10 and half hours from North Ridgeville, OH to Lake Anita State Park, about 10 miles south of I-80 in western Iowa. We found out that Monday night is an excellent night for camping; we had the place to ourselves. We enjoined wonderful weather, about 70 degrees and a balmy breeze that kept the bugs away.

Our night included a home cooked camp meal of penne pasta with shitake mushroom sauce, a bottle of Spanish wine, a walk around the lake with a view of the sun setting over the cow studded horizon, and a tango jam by the fire. We had no problems sleeping!



Whole Wheat Penne with Shiitake Mushroom Tomato Sauce

2 small leeks, chopped
2 baby onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 yellow squash, chopped
! zucchini, chopped
1/2 lb Shitake Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup wine
1 Large Can of Whole Peeled Tomatoes, juice reserved
Sea Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb whole wheat penne

Saute leeks, onions, garlic in the olive oil for 2 minutes. Add zucchini. Saute for 2 more minutes. Add third cup wine and reduce by half. Then add the reserved tomato juice and reduce by half again. Add shitakes. Meanwhile, quarter the tomatoes and add them to the sauce. Cook 2 minutes more, remove from the heat and cover.

Meanwhile, fill the largest camp pan available with water and place over high heat (two quarts of water if possible). Add Salt to the water after it begins to boil and then add the pasta.

Cook about 7-10 minutes, drain, then portion the pasta out in bowls and spoon the sauce over the top.

Be sure to drink the rest of the wine that was used in the dish :)