Pasta with Asparagus

I love love love Gina at www.skinnytaste.com. I've made several of her recipes before, which were really yummy. I also really enjoy using her recipes to prove to Kevin that "diet" foods can taste good. But last night I was craving an actual cooked meal, and even though Kevin was gone, there was some asparagus I needed to use up and I remembered one of her dishes that I have been wanting to make.

Pasta with Asparagus (my changes are in italics)

• 1 lb thin asparagus, cut into 2" pieces, tough ends trimmed
• 6 oz uncooked pasta
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed (used 5 cloves)
• salt and fresh cracked pepper (used 1/4 tsp each of salt and white pepper)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (used Romano)

In a large pot boil 4 cups water with salt. When boiling, add asparagus and cook 3-5 minutes, until tender crisp. Drain asparagus in colander reserving 1 cup liquid before draining.

Fill pot with salted water, cover and boil for pasta. When water boils cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden, add asparagus, salt and pepper and sauté about 1-2 minutes, tossing with oil and garlic.

In a small bowl combine egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup reserved asparagus liquid, salt and pepper. Mix well. After pasta is drained return to pot and mix with egg mixture. Cook on medium-low about 2 minutes, until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta. Toss in asparagus and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If pasta seems too dry add more reserved liquid a tablespoon at a time.

Serve with additional grated cheese. 

Serves 4.

--------------------------

This was a nice light pasta, yet very filling. The original recipe didn't specify an amount of salt and pepper so I tossed in a little then added a little bit more to my serving. I didn't want to ruin the whole thing by making it too salty, which I have done before. :-/ I'll definitely make this dish again when Kevin is home... it was delicious and so quick and simple! The leftovers were pretty good too, which I find is rare for non red sauce pasta dishes.

No, I Haven't Abandoned Ship

However, I have briefly abandoned the kitchen. Kevin and I got back from Europe this past weekend and he left again Tuesday to head to Zurich for some training. I've been eating sandwiches and drinking smoothies all while reading nonstop on my Nook. I am starting to crave cooked food so I'm sure there will be a real domestic update soon. It's just so much easier to let my "domestic duties" fall by the wayside when I'm here alone.

I know.. excuses, excuses. :)

Quick and Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

With the possibility that I could be leaving on Sunday to join Kevin in both Paris and Rome for two weeks, I've been trying to eat up everything in my refrigerator without having to go grocery shopping. I had some cooked brown rice leftover so I decided to whip up some fried rice. Kevin's makes some amazing fried rice and so I tried to make it without really knowing what he puts into it and it ended up pretty good.

Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

• 3 cups of cooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 red onion
• 1 cup broccoli chopped, cooked
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp light soy sauce

In a frying pan, heat olive oil. Saute onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and continue to cook until a little sticky.

Move rice to one side of frying pan then center empty side over burned. Scramble egg while chopping into tiny bits. Mix together.

Add salt, pepper, broccoli, and carrots. Mix thoroughly and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Add soy and continue to mix. Turn off heat and serve hot.

--------------------------