Dishes showcase spring veggies

With all the fresh veggies coming into the stores and our farmers market, there’s no better time to celebrate spring with a pasta dish highlighting veggies. This is vegetarian but you could easily add chicken or shrimp.

Don’t forget to save some hot pasta water for the sauce.

Pasta Primavera

10 oz. dry penne pasta Salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into matchsticks

2 cups broccoli florets, cut into matchsticks

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks

1 medium yellow squash, sliced into quarter portions

1 medium zucchini, sliced into quarter portions

3 - 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced

1 cup (heaping) grape tomatoes, halved through the length

2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/2 cup pasta water

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, divided

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook penne pasta in salted water according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a 12-inch (and deep) skillet over medium-high heat.

Add red onion and carrot and saute 2 minutes. Add broccoli and bell pepper then saute 2 minutes. Add squash and zucchini then saute 2-3 minutes or until veggies have nearly softened. Add garlic, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning and saute 2 minutes longer.

Pour veggies into now empty pasta pot or a serving bowl, add drained pasta, drizzle in lemon juice, season with a little more salt as needed and toss while adding in pasta water to loosen as desired.

Toss in 1/4 cup Parmesan and parsley then serve with remaining Parmesan on top.

And here’s a brunch dish using another delicious spring vegetable, asparagus.

Asparagus Brunch Casserole

6 strips bacon, cut into 1” pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup shredded white cheddar, divided

1 cup shredded Gruyère, divided

Kosher salt

Freshly-ground black pepper

Crushed red pepper fl a k e s

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed

1 cup crushed Ritz Crackers

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, 10 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Drain all but a 1/4 cup of grease from pan.

To same skillet, add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour and stir until golden, 2 minutes. Slowly pour in milk and cream, whisking until smooth. Let simmer until thickened, 5 minutes. Add ½ cup each of cheddar and Gruyère and stir until melted.

Add bacon back to sauce and season with salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Place asparagus in a 9x13 baking pan and pour sauce over, then top with remaining ½ cup of each cheese and crushed Ritz Crackers.

Cover with foil and bake until asparagus is tender, 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is melty, 10 minutes more.

Of course vegetables aren’t the only thing fresh this time of year. How about a nice fruit salad?

Mojito Fruit Salad

2 cups quartered strawberries

2 cups blueberries

2 cups chopped peaches or nectarines

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup sugar

1 lime

Combine fruit in a medium mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar with 1/4 c. water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar completely dissolves. Squeeze in lime juice (both halves) and set aside to cool. Once completely cool, pour simple syrup over fruit.

Add fresh mint and stir to combine.