Balsamic Brown Butter Pasta

Put down that jar of tomato, Alfredo, pesto, or vodka sauce for your pasta. I'm about to share something totally awesome and different with you. This pasta dish is glazed with Balsamic Brown Butter. Balsamic (vinegar), brown (sugar), and butter (spread) create this amazing taste that you will not soon forget! 

This dish was so good that when I went to transfer it to a leftover container, I ate a piece...and another...and another, stone cold while I was cleaning the kitchen until I should have just had a plate. I will be making it again, and variations of it, often. In fact, I loved it cold! Maybe I'll have to see about a variation for a pasta salad. Hmm...

I love this line of Barilla Veggie pastas. They not only give you an extra veggie serving, but they are a colorful addition to any dish. You won't be able to tell the difference either. I promise! My only complaint about them is that I can't readily find them in my local Market Basket when I want to buy them. They come in 3 varieties of rotini, farfalle, and penne and I love each one. Do yourself a favor and give these a try. 

1 box of your favorite pasta

1 can or package of salad shrimp

1 lb fresh asparagus

1 Tbsp olive oil

mixed up salt, to taste

mixed up pepper, to taste

1 Tsp brown sugar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp spreadable butter

 

Recipe Adapted from Food And Wine

 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Cut hard ends off asparagus and then slice, at an angle, into 1 inch pieces. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, until they are bright green. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar with the sugar until it boils. Let it keep heating and reducing, until there are only a few tablespoons left. At this point, stir in the butter and let it melt. Mix well, as soon as the butter is completely melted, remove from heat and stir in the shrimp. Pour directly over the pasta and toss with asparagus. I didn't even use any Parmesan cheese on this dish, the flavors are bold enough!

Pancetta Asparagus

Who doesn't love pancetta? Maybe not the price tag! But, it's a salted meat that is a gourmet substitute for bacon. Just try to keep telling yourself that the vegetables you are eating equal that part out!

 

2 oz pancetta, diced

1 Tbsp spreadable butter

1 lb fresh asparagus, ends trimmed off

2 cloves garlic, minced

squirt of lemon juice

1 Tbsp lemon zest

1 Tsp orange zest

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

pepper, to taste

 

Recipe Adapted from Food 52

 

Cut asparagus into one inch pieces, diagonally. In a large skillet, saute pancetta until golden. Add the butter to the pan and, once melted, add asparagus.

Cover and let it steam on medium low for 3-4 minutes. Then, mix in the remaining ingredients and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.