I went out to lunch with my dad the other day,
after which we took a side trip to Aldi. Dad has been telling me for years
about the low prices, but truth be told, I haven't been inside an Aldi store
since the turn of the century (and isn't that a fun thing to say?!). I
was surprised, when I got there, at the ample amount of fresh produce they had,
and at shockingly low prices. I got two pounds of fresh strawberries to make a
batch of Strawberry
Margarita Jam at $.99/pound, a
three-pack of jalapeños, a bag of avocados, a beautiful bunch of cilantro, and
a large bag of the loveliest asparagus I think I have ever seen. Considering my
cart was full and I carted out three bags of groceries, I wasn't expecting to
get change back from my twenty.
I ended up with more asparagus than I expected, so had to dig through recipes, managing to unearth this one. I have no idea as to the source, but I made it for dinner last night and moaned at the deliciousness. This is restaurant quality stuff here. Plus, having done my prep work earlier in the day, including blanching the asparagus and cooking the pasta, it went together in minutes.
I ended up with more asparagus than I expected, so had to dig through recipes, managing to unearth this one. I have no idea as to the source, but I made it for dinner last night and moaned at the deliciousness. This is restaurant quality stuff here. Plus, having done my prep work earlier in the day, including blanching the asparagus and cooking the pasta, it went together in minutes.
Creamy Pasta with Asparagus
& Bacon
4
ounces bow tie
pasta
2
Tablespoons unsalted butter
1
clove garlic, finely minced
1/3
cup grated Parmesan cheese
1
teaspoon chicken
soup base
2/3
cup heavy cream
Salt
& freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 thin
spears asparagus, diagonally cut into 2" pieces, blanched
3
strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
2
tablespoons toasted pine
nuts
1
tablespoon chopped parsley
Sprinkling
of Parmesan cheese, to garnish
Prepare
bow tie pasta according to package directions.
In 9" skillet melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for
one minute.
Stir in Parmesan cheese and soup base until blended, and then
slowly stir in heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce
and toss until pasta is coated. Fold in asparagus. Sprinkle with bacon, pine
nuts, parsley, and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve
immediately.
If you like this recipe, be
sure to try Pappardelle with Leeks and Bacon (shown below) as well. It is SO GOOD!
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