Barb wrote:

> Rob's SIL does this thing with vermicelli or angel hair, a can of
> artichoke hearts, and a can of tomatoes. I didn't remember her
> particulars so I faked it:
> Maybe 8-10 oz vermicelli noodles
> 1 can (16 oz?) artichoke hearts (I have used marinated artichoke hearts
> with decent results, too)
> 1 can (15-16 oz) Red Gold Italian flavored diced tomatoes, drained
> Seasonings by Penzey: Sicilian Salad stuff, Garden Salad sprinkle
> stuff, Shallot Pepper.
> A little olive oil.
>
> Drain the artichokes and cut each piece in half one direction or
> another. Drain the tomatoes and drink the juice. :-) Cook the
> spaghetti noodles, rinse lightly in cool water, drain,. Drizzle a
> little olive oil over, then add the artichokes and tomatoes to the
> noodles in a large bowl, tossing to mix. Add the seasonings as you
> wish. Enjoy. I used a fair amount of the garden salad sprinkle stuff
> and all the poppy seeds make me think of a button I have: "You can
> always tell a Slovak by the poppy seeds in her teeth." Fitting. Dobru'
> chut'!
>
> If I'd had some decent olives, I might have stirred them in, too. I
> thought about mushrooms and decided against it. Eat it at room temp.
> Makes enough for 2-3 people.

That looks like a really versatile recipe. I could see making it
pseudo-Greek by using lemon juice, oregano, and yogurt. Or pseudo-Lebanese
by adding a tiny bit of cinnamon, ground mahleb, or sumac. Or pseudo-Italian
by adding shaved Parmesan and maybe some chopped raw fennel. Or
pseudo-Californian by adding lemon and chopped avocado. Cooked chicken
probably wouldn't be amiss, either.

Thanks for the ideas!

Bob