pasta with asparagus, mushrooms, and walnuts

I didn't grow up with cable, so when I went to college and finally had it in the dorm, I thought I'd waste a lot of hours catching up on all the TV time I missed as a child.  It turns out that the only thing I was really fascinated with was the Food Network.  In fact, I did spend countless hours "studying", which really meant sitting on the couch with a textbook in my lap while my roommates and I watched Giada, Paula, and Ina make things we could only imagine in our tiny apartment kitchen.

This pasta recipe (and Paula's zucchini bread!) are the two that stand out as being true food memories from those days.  I forgot about it until recently, and then it immediately went on the meal plan for this week.  It makes excellent leftovers, and if you add in some shredded chicken, your husband will even like it. ;)

Pasta with Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Walnuts

Ingredients
1 pound farfalle pasta
3 tbsp butter
1 pound mushrooms, chopped

1 bundle asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 cup mascarpone cheese
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until according to the package directions.  Drain, then set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Add the pasta. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta.  Stir in the walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis, via Food Network

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