Forcing Springtime

I really do my best to eat in season...meaning that I walk right by the peaches, plums and cherries that are currently at the end cap of the produce section at the big chain grocery store. That means that I get my fill of butternut squash dishes in the fall and wintertime and it means that I usually wait until Spring hits for that first farm-fresh, local asparagus.

But...I failed. I just couldn't do it.

Blame it on the week of school vacation my son had (while my husband continued to go to work as usual).

Blame it on the frigid temps and grey skies.

Or blame it on the snow and ice we just got today.

Around 4PM as cotton ball like snow fell

Regardless of the reason, all willpower was set aside as I grabbed the prettiest bunch of asparagus at the store the other day.

See? Can you blame me? I know it wasn't local or even organic, but it was calling to me. It was reminding me that soon little shoots will be making their way through the frozen ground and the sun will be shining longer and warmer...no matter how impossible that seems now.

I then took that beautiful asparagus and turned it into a meal fit for the Equinox. Using Eating Well's Lemony Asparagus Pasta as a template, I made a dinner rich in flavor that helped to remind me that (hopefully) Spring is right around the corner, no matter what the forecast says.

Ingredients:

1 box penne pasta

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

3/4 cup milk (I used 1% and it still came out creamy!)

1 teaspoon brown mustard

2 teaspoons flour (oops, forgot to include that in the pix!)

1/2 teaspoon salt

a few grinds of pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

Juice of 1 medium lemon

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preparation:

Bring a pot of water to boil and add pasta. Cook for 6 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 3 more minutes. Drain water and set aside.

Pasta & asparagus cooking together harmoniously

In a bowl, whisk together milk, flour, mustard, salt & pepper and set aside.

It helps to have your sous chef on hand

Heat oil in a small saucepan and saute up the garlic until lightly browned. Add in milk mixture, whisking the entire time. Bring to a simmer and continue to stir until it thickens. Add lemon zest, juice and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Add sauce to pasta and asparagus, and mix well. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese in, right before serving.

nom.