Pioneer Womans Pasta Primavera Recipes

PIONEER WOMAN'S PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Time to start sautéing the veggies in batches, cooking only 1 or 2 minutes (at most) each.
• Add broccoli and carrots to onion & garlic. Cook only for a minute, then remove to separate plate. Add another tablespoon of butter to pan and add red pepper strips. Cook for one minute, then remove. Repeat with remaining veggies, being very careful not to overcook; veggies at this point should still be somewhat raw/crunchy.
• When all veggies have been removed and skillet is empty, pour ½ to 1 glass of dry white wine to pan.
• With whisk, begin to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the nice, flavorful bits from the bottom. Cooking over medium heat, add ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup whipping cream, and 1 cup half and half.
• Add ½ cup grated Parmesan. Stir together and cook until thick, adding salt & pepper to taste. Taste sauce as you go; don't oversalt, but don't undersalt either!
• Chiffonade fresh basil leaves, and stir into sauce. Now add all the veggies, including frozen peas, at once. Stir gently to combine; if sauce seems to thick, add equal parts half & half and chicken broth to thin. Cook over low heat until warm, just a couple of minutes. You don't want soggy veggies! Taste & check seasoning; add more salt & pepper if needed.
• Dump in al dente penne pasta, stir to combine thoroughly, and pour onto a large platter. Garnish with more basil leaves, throw on some more Parmesan, and gobble it up!

MAC AND CHEESE PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, scallion whites, garlic, asparagus and bell pepper. Season with the salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Splash in the wine and allow it to reduce for 1 minute. Add the milk and cream and continue to cook until warmed through. Stir in the peas.
• Toss together the fontina, Cheddar and cornstarch in a bowl.
• While stirring the sauce, sprinkle in the cheese mixture. Stir until the cheese is completely melted. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the pasta and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with the reserved scallion greens.

PRIMAVERA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until no longer hot; set aside.
• To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, milk, sour cream, parsley, chives, mint, lemon zest and juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 2 tablespoons Parmesan in a small bowl. Set aside. Before tossing, splash in more milk if needed for thinning.
• In a large bowl, combine the pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, peas, asparagus, carrots and leeks. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan and some black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• For the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook for 1 minute. Then add the broccoli; cook for another minute. Add the red peppers; cook 1 minute more. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
• To the skillet, add the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil; allow to heat up. Add the mushrooms, zucchini and squash, and cook until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and add them to the other vegetables. Set aside.
• For the sauce: Add the garlic and onions to the skillet, and cook until starting to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Next, pour in the chicken broth and wine; stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful bits. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced by about half. Stir in the cream and Parmesan, and allow the cheese to melt. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
• Add the cooked vegetables to the sauce, along with the peas and basil; stir to combine. If the sauce needs a little more liquid, splash in a small amount of broth. Place the cooked pasta in a large serving bowl and pour all the contents of the skillet over the pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with extra basil, and serve with extra Parmesan.

PRODUCE DRAWER PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta, according to package instructions, until al dente and then drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet on a medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, squash, asparagus, and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes to soften. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper then remove to a plate.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil and butter. Add the ham, onion, garlic, and herbs along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to ensure the garlic doesn't burn, 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and prepared pesto, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and allow to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the reserved vegetables and cooked pasta to the skillet, then toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Thin the sauce with the reserved pasta water if necessary. Garnish with the Parmesan and serve.