Creamy Fettucine with Andouille and Asparagus

This is a simple concept that I often put a twist on with whatever meats/veggies I have available. Andouille sausage is such a great addition to almost any dish - it's sweet with a little kick and will rev up even the most boring basic weeknight staple.  The asparagus has the perfect crunch to make you feel good about getting your veggies into this potenitally heart-attack-worthy dish.  There are, however, alterations you can use to try and make it a little more healthy.  You could substitute whole grain rice for the pasta, or chicken for the sausage, even out the heavy whipping cream with some skim milk (if you can tolerate a thinner sauce).  The veggies and sausage is also great all on its own.  My favorite alteration, which I'll post the next time I create, is using andouille sausage and shrimp. I often keep the pasta and meat/veggie sautee separate so guests can choose how much they carb-load :)

Ingredients:

serves 4

1 package (4 links) Andouille sausage (Aidell's is a great brand for my favorite sausages)

1 bunch asparagus, tough ends cut off and chopped into 1" sections on the bias

1 lg or 2 md cloves garlic, smashed and minced

handful chopped onions (optional)

1 box pasta

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 c shredded parmesan

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp EVOO

S&P

5 tbs  butter (a little more than 1/2 stick)

Directions:

1.  Get your pasta water salted and boiling.  I use this time to chop my veggies and meat.  Mix your chopped sausage and asparagus (leave out onion and garlic) in a bag or a bowl with the EVOO, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, cayenne pepper, and chili powder.

2.  Once the pasta water is boiling, get the pasta in there before starting to saute your meat and veggies. Tip: adding a little olive oil to the pasta once it's in the water will help keep your noodles from sticking together.  Giving it a couple of minutes (but not much more) after it's finished cooking will help the sauce stick to the noodles better

3. Add 1 tbsp butter to a skillet on medium heat.  Once it's melted, add your chopped onions and garlic and stir until translucent and/or fragrant (about 2 minutes).

4. Add your meat and veggies to the skillet.  Mix evenly and cover, stirring every couple of minutes.



5. In a smaller saucepan, melt the other 4 tbsp butter until melted on medium heat.  Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil.  Once bubbling, stir and remove from heat, add in your cheese and set aside to let it melt into the sauce and thicken.

6. Once pasta is al-dente (about 10 - 12 minutes), drain.  After getting your sauce and saute skillet ready, your pasta should be about ready depending on your speed.  Check on your meat and veggies, giving it a good toss, while the pasta drains fully.

7. Return pasta to it's pot/pan and place back on the stove over a burner that may be still warm or turn one on low heat.  Sprinkle your flour over top - this is optional, but helps the sauce cling to the pasta and thicken a little bit.



8. Stir your sauce up with S&P to taste and pour over pasta.  Toss until it starts to thicken and remove from heat.  You can let sit a little bit off the heat if you prefer to allow more thickening. 

9.  Serve hot, and top with your meat/veggie mixture.  You can also toss all together if you want (as pictured).  I like to keep the flavors separate and let guests experiment with which they want more of.