Ham & Asparagus Spaghetti

As a result of the Food Network Chef's Cooking Challenge, I've spent some time looking at their recipes choosing ones I'd like to try. Normally, I'm a big fan of finding recipes on blogs, because I know they are tried and true - not likely to look good on presentation alone like those prepared for TV might.

We tried a ham and asparagus spaghetti, which we found pretty good, although Frog Prince kept asking "where's the sauce"? We thought a sauce might have made this dish a little creamier, but it's certainly a nice light dinner, perfect for summer. Mushrooms would make an excellent addition to this dish.



Ham and Asparagus Spaghetti - Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti/linguine
~1 lb. asparagus, washed and cut
6 oz. ham, thinly sliced
6 oz. smoked mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 tsp. basil, dried

Star by bringing water to a boil and cook pasta until done.

Meanwhile, saute the garlic in a little olive oil until the garlic smell is strong.



Add asparagus and saute until crisp-tender and a nice green color.



Toss in the strips of ham, and saute for ~5 minutes.



While ham cooks, chop up the smoked mozzarella into chunks.



Add cooked and drained pasta to the asparagus/ham mixture.



Toss in the mozzarella and basil.



Stir to combine.



Remove from the heat and serve warm.