Pasta with Asparagus and Lemon Cream Sauce

What a great day!! Finally met my dear blogging friend Shaylee in person! And felt very tall. It's been a while. We had a great visit, lots of girl talk, Joe was an angel, and they ate my cake for me! What more could you ask for??

I lost track of time, so had to make dinner fast when I got home. Stephen gets cranky when he's hungry. "So like a man!" (ha, name that quote!) Luckily, I had this simple, quick, delicious pasta recipe that I've been dying to try. I am the only member of my family that likes asparagus, so I usually don't subject them to it, but I told them they could just give me theirs. This is one of my new favorite dinners EVER!!! You must, must try it. Even though there is cream in the sauce, it is light and fresh and summery. The sauce barely coats the pasta, not drenching it in rich creamyness. We're making it again, this time with my meatballs! I'll give you that recipe too, later, they're scrumptious! Until then, at least try this!

Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Peas, and Asparagus (adapted from The English Kitchen)
Printable Recipe

8 oz of uncooked twisty or tubular pasta (penne, ziti, fusilli, rotini, etc...)
1/2 pound of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices (I just had a handful)
1 cup frozen green peas
1 Tb butter
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 TBS fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
the finely grated zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper

fresh Parmesan cheese

optional fresh lemon slices

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Place the peas in a colander. Drain the pasta mixture over top of the peas when done. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet/saucepan over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant and slightly softened, about one minute. Stir the broth and cornstarch together in a small bowl with a fork, making sure to mix well. Stir broth into the garlic/butter. Bring to a boil while stirring. Cook until thickened a bit, stirring constantly for about one minute. Whisk in the cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook and stir for about one minute to heat through. Toss in the pasta and vegetables, stirring to coat well. (You can also cook the sauce while the pasta is boiling, return pasta and veggies to the pot, and pour sauce over it all.) Garnish with some more freshly ground black pepper if desired and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

This was so fast, and so easy, and so GOOD!!

Stephen made some very yummy spice-rubbed chicken to go with it, convinced that it MUST need meat... But even he, a die-hard carnivore, admitted that this pasta didn't need meat! Gasp.

I agree. The peas were kinda mushy, and the asparagus was out of season, but STILL!! I love love love it. And imagine it with fresh peas, and in-season asparagus... and possibly green beans... Sigh.

I'm so happy we have leftovers. Yum Yum YUM!! (Thank you, Marie!)