Penne with Asparagus, Pistachios, and Mint

So tonight my rating was over-ruled.  I thought it was just ok.  Hubby and 19 year old daughter said they really liked it.  Minor change - doubled the garlic, used just butter at the end (vs butter and oil).  I also had made a side dish with some sauteed mushrooms and garlic and that went very well with the penne.  Meatless Monday is always worthwhile, so I will make it again.

That Penne Asparagus and Mint dish is great because its so customizable. Add sliced mushrooms, sausage, red chili flakes in the oil as it heats. Lots of ways to go. Makes a ton of food AND I think its better with gluten free pasta than whole wheat if you are looking at gluten.  Anyway, a total winner. 

I made this recipe as part of Easter dinner.  All of the flavors were very fresh and springy. The mint was a tad bit overbearing. I would probably back off a little on it next time.  I added more pasta water and cheese both of which I think made it better. 

We loved this. My 7 year old said it was the best thing I ever made (btw I cook all the time and he loves my food). The nuts were delicious. My husband doesn't like mint so everyone added as much as they wanted to their own plates. Forgot the pasta water but didn't need it. Definately make this one! The dude artichoke salad was just ok - the dressing need something more.

This one went straight to my recipe binder. All of the flavors work really well together. Definitely a new favorite for me!

I thought it was quite nice for a simple weeknight meal.  I think I over-chopped the mint a bit, making it more like a mince of fresh mint, and I think it negatively affected the texture and flavor.  Next time, make it more of a chop and less of a mince.  Also, the Baby Green and Artichoke Salad was a nice accompaniment, but like so many of CL's side salad recipes, it had far too little dressing.  Make sure to prepare twice the amount of dressing and then dress to taste.

We enjoyed it very much. The delicate sauce was a little different for us. It was quick to make start to finish. We will make this again. 

My family loved this. Simple, but divine. Quality ingredients, including real pecorino Romano and good pasta, may be the keys.

This was fine, we ate it and mostly enjoyed it, but there was no wow at all. I made the recipe as written but ended up adding more salt and way more cheese to get some real flavor. The pistachios and mint were a nice touch. Not sorry I made it but probably won't make it again.