Week 40, Recipe 4: Pasta with Asparagus, Spinach & Bacon

NOTES

• The recipe had amazingly restaurant quality taste with relatively few ingredients!
• A delicious way to eat what's in season - spinach and asparagus.
• Double this recipe to have lunch leftovers or if you're cooking for a big family.
• Original recipe from Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz uncooked penne pasta
• 2 bacon slices
• 1/2 c. chopped sweet onion
• 2 1/2 c. (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 4 c. fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
• 1/4 tsp salt, more to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook pasta according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; and cool and crumble.
3. Add onion and asparagus to bacon drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute.
4. Add broth to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender and broth has reduced a little.
5. Add pasta, spinach, 1/4 cup cheese, and pepper to pan; toss well. Serve on plates sprinkled with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and bacon crumbles.