Gourmet leftovers

Some days the heavens open forth with a simple pleasure with real frugality at its core...Like finding a dish using all leftovers to form a delicious, new dinner that the kids will eat too. Little miracles that happen now and then to brighten a dull winter day =: )
Now I cannot take credit for the inspiration of this dish, for last week I got (yet again) a Cuisine magazine free in the mail. Most of the recipes were the same as the last 3 I've gotten in the past, but there were a few new ones. This one, originally with its gourmet title of Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Bucatini (which is what?) with Garlic Bread Crumbs, inspired me because as I read down the ingredients list, I had EVERYTHING. Well, at least all the BLT ingredients.
Now that can happen many times, especially if it's a basic kind of dish, but this time it happened with pretty much all leftovers that I really needed to use up. I even had one cup of bread cubes in my freezer from who knows how long ago? I had exactly 1/2 a small pint of grape tomatoes left, some leftover chopped onion from tacos, three slices of bacon (I know, who even leaves three slices of bacon in the wrapper? Well I do apparently. For such a time as this!) And for some reason I always end up throwing away the last little bit of spinach leftover from salad, but not today! I even had about 3 servings of some pasta already cooked up that I wasn't sure what to do with.

Ok, I did not have wine, or fresh thyme, or leeks, or bucatini (which is basically fat spaghetti with a hole in the middle, which you can only find at Wegman's or something). But who has all these gourmet things on hand on leftover night??

So since I changed the recipe a bit (when do I not?) here is my humble, easier version that Luke scarfed right down. Well, he did need a little piece of bacon on each bite, but then, who doesn't?
Enjoy!

Charis' BLT Pasta
Serves 2 adults and 2 kids

1 cup cubed bread
1 minced garlic clove
1 TB. olive oil

2-3 slices bacon, sliced into 1" pieces
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
pinch sugar
1/2 cup sliced or chopped onions
1 tsp. flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1-2 cups fresh spinach leaves
6 oz. rigatoni, or spaghetti, linguini, etc., cooked
grated parmesan cheese

In a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat, toast bread crumbs and garlic in olive oil for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and toasted. Set aside. Wipe out any crumbs.
In same skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Set aside. Wipe out with a paper towel all but about a tsp. of fat. Add in tomatoes, sugar, and onion and cook over medium-high heat until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir. Add chicken stock and vinegar, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add in spinach leaves, pasta, and reserved bacon and stir until heated through and spinach is wilted, 2-4 minutes.
Spoon onto plates and top with the fresh croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Eat up!