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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turkey meatballs

When I first started dating Lane, he was exasperated by how many times I'd say I didn't like something when in reality, I'd never tried it.  What seemed perfectly reasonable to me (I know what I like!) was totally illogical to him.  And that included meatballs - I'd never had one but I thought there was no way I'd want to.  In an attempt to impress him, I eventually tried a recipe, and it's now one of our favorites.  I make these at least once a month - with whole wheat spaghetti or on a sandwich, they're worth a try!

 

Italian Turkey Meatballs 
Ingredients: 
1 pound ground turkey (I use the leanest I can find)
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 egg
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 jar marinara sauce or 1 batch quick marinara sauce 
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine turkey, cheese, egg, and breadcrumbs.  Roll meat mixture into 1½ inch balls and transfer to a plate.  

Heat the oil in a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat.  Working in batches, brown the meatballs on each side for 1-2 minutes. Once all the meatballs are browned, transfer them all back into the skillet and cover with the marinara sauce.  Cover the skillet with the lid and continue cooking for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.  Add the shredded mozzarella on top for the last 5 minutes of cooking.  Top with extra parmesan if desired.

Source: inspired by Giada De Laurentiis

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