What shouts Spring more than asparagus?! I bought a few too many spears for our holiday dinner on Saturday so I used them in my Meatless Monday dinner, Penne with Asparagus.

I cut the asparagus to mimic the shape of the penne and while the penne was cooking I sautéed a little onion and garlic in some olive oil. Then I added all the asparagus pieces except for the tips with a touch of the boiling water and covered it for a minute or two. Reserving a cup of pasta water, John dumped the al dente penne into my pan of asparagus and I added the asparagus tips. The whole thing cooked together for two minutes with maybe a half cup of the pasta water to make a sauce. A little finishing oil and some freshly cracked pepper were my garnishes.

Quick, cheap, and easy Penne with Asparagus!