Guest Post from Sue -- Pasta Primavera

It's time ladies and gentlemen!  Guest post number two is here.  And this one comes from the wonderful woman that created my favorite ginger in the whole world.  That's right, it's Kaitlin's momma.  Upon meeting Sue for the first time I quickly realized how/why Kaitlin turned out like she did.  This woman is crafty beyond belief, has abundant knowledge concerning all things pop culture, has an amazing blog, and possibly has the greatest Pinterest boards on the planet...just to name a few (I think I could make a list a mile long).  This pasta looks absolutely delicious, especially as I'm dying for a home cooked meal.  Thank you so much Sue!

When Emilie asked if I would do a recipe for her blog while she was “on tour” with the band, I asked if we could call it “Cooking for Dummies.”  Despite feeding a family of five on a pretty regular basis for 25 years, I still consider myself more of a crafter than a cooker.  I decided that would be a good place to start. First by embracing my barely above basic skills in the kitchen and second by sharing a recipe that has been a favorite of all my picky eaters.

You can’t go too far wrong with pasta, but this one is particularly tasty and, I think, pretty easy. It doesn’t get much more complicated than chopping veggies. One more caveat and I will begin. I read Em’s blog everyday and love her pictures as much as her words. My photos will be as basic as my cooking, but I wanted to follow in her very helpful tradition of including lots of visuals to aid in the process.

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED:

1 lb. fresh asparagus

2 c. fresh broccoli flowerets

1 medium onion, chopped

1 t. garlic, chopped

1 T. olive oil

2 large carrots, scraped and diagonally sliced

1 medium sweet red pepper, coarsely chopped

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, coarsely chopped

1 c. whipping cream

½ c. chicken broth

3 green onion, chopped

2 t. dried basil

½ t. salt

16 oz. linguine, broken

1 c. Parmesan cheese

See what I mean about the chopping? Start by snapping off the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut diagonally into 1-2” pieces.

Place asparagus pieces and broccoli flowerets in a vegetable steamer; cover and steam 6-8 minutes or until veggies are crisp tender. Remove from heat; set aside.

I know this shortcut would not probably fly with Miss Bell, but I am a queen of cooking shortcuts. (Just ask me about the wonders of frozen diced onions!) Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender.

Add carrot and chopped peppers to onion mixture; sauté until crisp-tender. Remove from heat; drain.

Combine whipping cream, broth, green onions, basil, and salt in medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sorry, I was home alone and could not seem to get a pic and stir the sauce.

Look, Katy, Great Value isn’t just for poor college students. It’s also for smart shopper Moms!

Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain well; place in a large serving bowl. Add reserved vegetables and whipping cream mixture; toss gently.

Another shortcut.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; toss gently. Serve immediately.

The upside of this delicious dish is that it makes a ton of food and is just as good to reheat for lunches later. The downside is lots of dirty dishes. But if you play your cards right, your grateful satisfied family might do them for you!