The Humpherys Family

Pasta Primavera

Source  The Pioneer Woman
Recipe Added:  5/21/2012
1 cup broccoli, cut small
1/2 onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, cut diagonally
2 medium zucchini, cut diagonally
5 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced in strips
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound Penne pasta
 Sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 basil leaves (more to taste)
1/2 cup frozen peas
Heat 2 Tbsp butter with 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Add broccoli and stir, then add carrots. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a plate.

Add red pepper strips to the skillet. Stir around for a minute or so, then transfer to plate. Add pasta to slightly salted boiling water and cook to al dente. Add a Tbsp of butter to skillet. Add zucchini, cook for less than a minute, then transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two (add salt to taste), and again transfer to  plate.

Sauce  Pour chicken broth, a Tbsp of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor left behind by the veggie cooking. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken. Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup half-and-half. Measure out ½ cup grated Parmesan; add to skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add 5-6 fresh basil leaves to sauce; stir. Add veggies and mushrooms into sauce with ½ cup frozen peas. Add pasta al dente and stir. If sauce seems thick, add a splash of chicken broth and more half-and-half. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.