Summer Veggies and Pasta Alfredo

I’ve waited all year for this.  Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, green peppers, green beans, tomatoes and eggplant.  The veggies are starting to ripen faster than I can cook them.  It’s wonderful!

So, here’s last night’s supper. 

I started by making an Alfredo sauce.  It’s easier than you think.

Start by melting butter (the real stuff, please) slowly in a sauce pan.  This  is not quite one stick of salted butter, about 6 tablespoons.

Next, add some diced garlic.  I used the rest of my rosemary roasted garlic. 

Now for the heavy whipping cream.  Add it slowly, about 1/8 of a cup at a time to allow it to warm slowly on medium low heat.  It took me a few minutes to add the full 2 cups, stirring frequently.  Don’t rush this part or the butter will separate, leaving a greasy mess.

Now for the parmesan cheese.  Add about 1 cup, finely grated.  I used to be too intimidated to buy that expensive wedge of parmesan, but then I found out how far it goes!  One wedge will last me a few months, and we eat this cheese a lot.  I use my Kitchen Aid grater attachment to grate it up, one small piece at a time.  I leave the larger piece of the wedge in the fridge, wrapped tightly.  It keeps longer if it isn’t grated.

Leave this yummy concoction on a low heat setting to simmer, stirring frequently.  Don’t rush this yummy goodness.  It will take about 30 minutes for it to thicken up.  Feel free to dip a spoon in from time to time to taste-test.  Add salt and pepper as you like.

Now, for the veggies.  I cut up an eggplant and soaked it in a small amount of buttermilk.

Then, they moved to the whole wheat flour with salt and pepper…

Into some sizzling hot oil.  I don’t know enough about preparing eggplant to do anything other than frying it, but it sure is good.  Our supper didn’t include any meat, so I figured this would fill that crave.

Sam helped by eating raisins and playing with some measuring spoons and cups. 

With the eggplant out of the way, I rinsed my pan, added olive oil and all those yummy diced veggies with salt and pepper.  Look closely and you’ll see yellow squash, zucchini, peppers, and green beans.  I cooked the veggies until they just started to tender up a bit, adding some yellow cherry tomatoes at the very last moment.

Add a little angel hair pasta, and it’s the perfect summer meal.