Red-bell pepper plant amazed us and inspired this Veggie Pasta Primavera

Many times we'd recommended it to others but never practiced what we preached.

This year, however, Hubby decided to try container gardening for himself. He planted a red-bell pepper plant in a clay pot and set the pot in the flower bed near the deck.

It started out looking so fragile, one never could imagine the stalk being able to support a single flower, much less a heavy pepper.

Yet, as time marched on, not one but three peppers took hold--and held on firmly as the plant bulked up to support them.

A dish called Veggie Pasta Primavera in Blue-Cheese Sauce was the recipient of our first-ever container-grown red pepper. What a fitting dish for a celebration! Hubby's comment: "You've outdone yourself again." (He says that after most every meal. My Love Language is verbal affirmation.)

I'm not the one who outdid myself, however. It was the container-grown pepper plant. Hooray for an easy gardening method that worked like a charm.

Chopped red pepper blended with some other standout veggies for this incredible dish (the recipe was contained in a Kroger grocery flyer), which served as a main course for us. Squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and green peppers (the latter also from our garden) all went into a casserole dish along with pasta, some crumbled blue cheese, and seasonings. Thirty-minutes later (at 350 degrees) this breeze of an entree emerged from the oven looking and tasting fabulous. We dined on it as a dinner entree alongside some fresh cantaloupe. A wonderful summer-evening meal!

Next year we may expand the containering, with this effort having been successful.

Veggie Pasta Primavera in Blue-Cheese Sauce

1/2 pound linguine, cooked

1 cup tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup zucchini, diced

1/2 cup yellow squash, diced

1/4 cup red pepper, diced

1/4 cup green pepper, diced

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

4-ounces crumbled blue cheese

Parmesan cheese (sprinkle on top)

Combine all ingredients. Spray casserole dish with nonfat cooking spray. Place mixture in casserole dish. Bake in 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 4.