Pasta and Asparagus

The asparagus has been looking so wonderful the last couple of weeks, so I finally bought a bunch. They were skinny and bright green. I couldn't resist. Normally, I'd saute them in a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. I decided to do something a little different. Yes, an experiment. One that actually came out well!

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces ground lean turkey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces small pasta (I used elbows), cooked al dente

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup grated white cheddar cheese

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 cup broccoli

1/2 asparagus

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Make sure the bread crumbs coat the insides of the muffin "parts". Shake of any excess.

Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the turkey through (no pink). Break it apart as you cook, so it is in small pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, boil a small pot of water. Add in the broccoli and cook for 1-2 minutes. NO MORE THAN THAT! Then remove and put in a bowl of very cold water to stop the cooking process. Do the same for the asparagus. Then chop the vegetables.

Once the pasta is done cooking (don't overcook), put in large mixing bowl and add the cheeses and ground meat. Toss well. Scoop mixture into each muffin mold about 2/3 full. Add some pieces of tomato, broccoli, and asparagus to each one. Top with a thin layer of bread crumbs. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until it it golden brown. After removing from oven, allow to sit for a few minutes before removing.