Pasta Primavera

This is one of our favorite meals. Brian even asked for this for his birthday dinner last year. Amanda first made this meal for our dinner group in college and I think all of us like to make it now. I called it, "Amanda's yummy pasta dish", until Amanda informed me that it had an actual name! Who would have known! This recipe comes out of the checkerboard cookbook (Better Homes and Gardens). It's very light and summery and I love the vegetables that it calls for.

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:
14 oz. asparagus spears
8 oz. rotini, or other spiral pasta (about 2 and 1/2 cups)
1 red or yellow bell pepper
1 cup chopped baby pattypan squash or yellow summer squash
10 oz. Alfredo sauce (whatever brand you like)
Chicken, cooked and cubed
Dash of cayenne pepper

*With the asparaus I just chop up the whole bunch that I get from the store and put it in (I have no idea how much it is). Same with the squash, I buy a small squash, chop it up and put the whole thing in.

*The recipe doesn't actually call for chicken. That was Amanda's addition and it's SO good with the chicken. But, it's a great vegetarian dish without.

Directions:
Start the water boiling for the noodles. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus spears. Chop remaining spears into 1-inch pieces. Chop other vegetables to desired size. Add noodles to boiling water and cook according to package adding the vegetables to the water for the last 3-4 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Add chicken, sauce and a dash of cayenne pepper.

*This recipe is really forgiving. You can add as much or as little veggies/sauce/chicken as you want. I was really intimidated by the recipe at first because I had never cooked those vegetables before. But, it has always come out great!

Thanks again Amanda, for introducing us to such a yummy and easy dish!