Pasta Primavera

This is the first time for me to make Pasta Primavera and my husband and I absolutely LOVED it! My husband especially liked the white sauce and penne pasta, and I loved the fresh vegetables, especially the mushrooms. I added some chicken to this recipe since I figured my husband would want some “meat” to this dish. The Pasta Primavera recipe comes from the Pioneer Woman. You definitely need to try this… and its a good way to get your veggies in! Enjoy!

All the vegetables you need: zucchini, broccoli, onions, bell peppers, carrots, and mushrooms.

Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions and garlic over medium high heat for about a minute or two.

Add the carrots and broccoli and cook for about a minute more.

Transfer the mixture to a plate and add the red pepper strips to the skillet. Cook for about a minute, then transfer them to the plate.

Add butter to the skillet and cook the zucchini for less than a minute, and transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two and again transfer to the plate.

To make the sauce add the chicken broth, and butter and cook until the liquid starts to thicken. Add whipping cream, half-and-half, Parmesan cheese, basil leaves and stir.

Dump veggies and mushrooms into sauce along with frozen peas.

Add the pasta al dente and stir. Top with Parmesan and basil and serve.

Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
1 cup bite-sized Broccoli Pieces ( up to 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 whole Onion diced finely
3-4 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
2 whole medium to large Carrots, sliced on the bias (diagonally)
2 whole medium Zucchini, sliced on the bias
1 whole medium Yellow Squash (optional)
5 oz. Button or Baby Porcini Mushrooms, roughly sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, sliced in strips
4 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 lb Penne Pasta

For the Sauce:
1/4 cups Dry White Wine (I used additional Chicken Broth instead)
1/2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
1 cup Half-and-half
1/2 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top
5 leaves Basil, plus more for garnish
1/2 cups Frozen Peas

Directions
1. Prep the vegetables. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ cups worth. Dice half an onion. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Slice carrots on the bias (diagonally), and do the same for the zucchini and yellow squash. Roughly slice the mushrooms and slice the red pepper (seeded) into strips.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic together and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Then throw in the broccoli. Stir, and add in the carrots.
3. Transfer the veggies to a plate. Add the red bell pepper strips to the skillet and cook for about a minute. Transfer them to a plate.
4. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to al dente.
5. Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet and cook squash and zucchini for less than a minute, then transfer to a plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two and again transfer to the plate.
6. To make the sauce, pour 1/4 cup dry white wine to skillet (or chicken broth). Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor of left behind by the veggies. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the liquid starts to thicken.
7. Add whipping cream, half-and-half, and Parmesan to skillet and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in fresh basil leaves.
8. Dump veggies and mushrooms into the sauce along with frozen peas.
9. Add pasta al dente and stir.
10. Top with more Parmesan and basil to taste and serve.

Serves 4-6