Penne with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh asparagus spears
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon light or dark brown sugar
1 pound penne pasta
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ of the pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the asparagus roasts, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the vinegar is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.

Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until just done, 11-13 minutes. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the butter and vinegar mixture. Toss to combine well. Add in the asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese for serving.

From the kitchen of Whitney M.

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Chicken Linguine

"Really easy and quick to make plus my favorite dish right now!"

Ingredients:

1/2 pound linguine pasta

1 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 whole garlic cloves
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, halved
6 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 (7.5 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
6 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto, or to taste
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook linguine to desired softness in boiling water on stove.

While the pasta is boiling, sprinkle the chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the chicken pieces until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic cloves, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts; reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the mushrooms begin to give off their juices, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the spinach, and simmer just until the leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the cooked linguine into a bowl, and toss with the basil pesto. Serve topped with the chicken mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over each plate to serve.

From the kitchen of Whitney M.

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