Pasta with Cremini, Asparagus, and Walnuts

What is a family blog without recipes, right!? Ha ha! There will be a few of these on here. This recipe I found here. I came across this recipe thinking it sounded different, but strangely yummy. The author of the site I found it on swore it was soooo good. So I tried it out, and it is quite tasty. Easy to make, with a different flavor than I am used to. Try it out!




Pasta with Cremini, Asparagus, and Walnuts
1 lb farfalle pasta
3 tbsp of butter
3/4 lb. of cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (8-oz) package mascarpone cheese (OR cream cheese)
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3/4 c walnuts, toasted
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add the noodles. Stir in mascarpone cheese and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta. Add the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to moisten (you don't need to add all of it. Just until it is moistened to your preference). Stir in the walnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon, and remaining toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.


Just some personal notes: I don't add the mushrooms because my husband hates mushrooms. I usually use cream cheese and it tastes great with that too. Also, for the crumbled bacon I just buy the Great Value Bacon Pieces in a bag (about $1.60). They're still yummy and save you time and annoying dishes to clean. Bon appetit!