Asparagus and Bacon Fettuccine

This is one of my when-asparagus-are-in-season emergency dinners or one of my for-lack-of-better-idea-when-asparagus-are-in-season dinners. I try not to cook pasta too often so as to be able to use them on these everyday occasions when my day did not develop the way I had anticipated or when I have no cooking inspiration!

On those all-too-frequent nights, some of you might consider take-out an emergency dinners solution. I don't. It does not even cross my mind that I could order food in a local restaurant when I need to prepare a meal in 15-20 minutes. I'd rather save my money to go out as a family or, three times a year and always on special occasions, to order sushis.  Worse comes to worse, I have frozen pizzas or fish fingers in the freezer, which I serve together with crudités (cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, etc.)

Being able to whip together a relatively healthy meal in no time is a skill that we all should have. Especially Including our spouses. It does not have to be fancy. It does not have to include meat/poultry/fish (which tend to take more time to cook anyway). It's just that we would all be better off with 3-5 emergency dinners recipes that we know are easy to make and, more important, widely accepted. It takes a little bit of planning (here I come again!) but trust me it's worth it. And being a SAH mom is not a reason why you (AND your spouse) should not have emergency dinners options available. Last minute changes of plans happen all the time in every family, n'est-ce-pas? And on those hectic evenings, it's nice to know that at least, dinner time won't be a battle (or an $$$-relatively-unhealthy take-out). If pasta and frozen pizza can't be your emergency dinners options because you serve them on regular nights as well, then try to cook MORE of the dishes that you can easily freeze: soups, casseroles, vegetarian dishes, etc. That way, on emergency dinner nights, you only have to open your freezer as opposed to your wallet. As you take a deep cold breath, relax, you know that everything is under control, at least when it comes to feeding your family that evening!  Bon Appétit!

Ingredients:

- Fettucinne Pasta (preferably whole-wheat)

- Bacon (2-3 slices) cut into small bites

- Green asparagus, washed and cut into pieces.

- Parmesan, olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste

• In a pot, brown the bacon. Reserve the bacon but keep the fat.
• Add water and salt to the pot and bring the water to a boil. Cook the pasta in that pot. Drain.
• In a different pot, cook the asparagus. Drain.
• Assemble, drizzle with olive oil (if needed), parmesan and black pepper.

My personal comments:

• If you have 5 extra minutes, you could add a chopped onion (which you would cook with the bacon)
• If you have fresh cherry tomatoes handy, you could add them at the last minute for decoration and extra veggies.