Summer Garden Pasta

I'm on summer vacation!  Truthfully the summer isn't off to a great start with a migraine and neck pain that has me strapping ice packs to my head, but hey: it's 11:30 in the morning and I'm still in pajamas on the couch.  Summer is awesome.

Besides having the summer off, one of my favorite parts of summer is having fresh local vegetables again: having tomatoes that are actually red and not pink and mealy, and having corn that's sweet and bright, and picking chives out of our garden (I love that chives are perennials!).  All of these things get highlighted in this summer garden pasta.  Plus, you know, bacon.  Because that's all I have to say to get my family interested in a meal. Bacon and pasta make these people happy, so I'll give it to them, along with some veggies to keep them happy and healthy!

Obviously this isn't my dream dish with vegetables sauteed in bacon grease, but my family loved it.  It's really flavorful, and the sauce is light but fantastic.  The fresh summer veggies are the stars of the dish, as they should be to celebrate the start of summer produce!

Recipe:

summer garden pasta
from Annie's Eats
serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
12 ounces pasta shapes (I used a pound of tricolor spiral pasta)
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced thin
2 cobs fresh corn, shucked and kernels cut off
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup veggie or chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 - 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
shaved parmesan for serving


Instructions:

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain well.

2) Meanwhile, in large saucepan or skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 2 teaspoons of the bacon grease in the skillet.  Add the zucchini and corn kernels to the pan and sauce until crisp-tender and warmed through, about 5 minutes.  Remove to a separate plate or bowl.

3) In the same skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Add the onion to the pan and saute until beginning to soften, 2 - 3 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook about 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.  Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer.  Lower the heat to medium and let simmer until liquid is reduced by about half, approximately 5 - 8 minutes.  remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

4) Add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss well to coat.  Stir in the chives, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and bacon.  Serve immediately with shaved parmesan if desired.