It's Asparagus Season!

"It is said that in a venerable British men's club there is a sign reading 'DURING THE ASPARAGUS SEASON MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES IN THE HATSTAND.' ...Benjamin Franklin, in a wide-ranging discussion of bodily discharges, once noted, 'a few stems of asparagus eaten shall give our urine a disagreeable odor; and a pill of turpentine no bigger than a pea shall bestow upon it the pleasing smell of violets.' " (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/577/why-does-asparagus-make-your-pee-smell-funny)

In celebration of Asparagus Season, I have posted a great recipe involing the wonderful vegetable. It's quick and easy, relatively healthy, and has passed the "Steve Test", meaning: Steve will eat it willingly, except for the tomatoes. I only put those on my portion.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

3/4 lb linquine

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1/2 lb thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup slived button mushrooms

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large carrot, peeled and ribboned (use a peeler to create long, thin strips)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded basil

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

3. Drop in the asparagus, tomatoes, and mushrooms, and cook until tender. Stir in the flour; cook for 1 minute more.

4. Add the chicken brother, milk, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the liquid has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrot strips.

5. Toss the pasta with the vegetables and sauce, adding the pasta water, if necessary, to loosen the mixture. Serve garnished with the parmesan cheese and basil.

My variations: I add shrimp and/or chicken. I also omit the carrot strips (not a big fan of cooked carrots), and up the amount of mushrooms. Also, being winter and fresh basil is not very plentiful, I sprinkle on dried basil. You also might want to adjust the amount of pepper for personal taste.

ENJOY!