Penne with Roasted Asparagus

I was pleasantly surprised with how this turned out. Typically I'm very pick when it comes to my pasta. Only recently have I started to like cheesy sauces. I wouldn't necessarily call this sauce "cheesy", but it's definitely tasty and so worth making. Did I mention it's incredibly easy? Barely takes any time at all! I think that's one of the best parts about it.

Ingredients:

- Bundle of asparagus (fresh)
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- Sea Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- 1 box of penne (I believe it's 13 oz, I used whole wheat!)
- 1/4 C butter (margarine, smart balance, etc.)
- 1/3 C Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 C + 2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

- Follow the directions on your box of pasta to prepare it as you like. Drain it, and move it to a larger (or return it to your initial) pan.
- Follow the instructions for your asparagus here. The only difference is cut up your asparagus into pieces, about one inch long.

- In a small pot, bring to boil your balsamic vinaigrette. Let it simmer until it's dwindled down to about three or four tablespoons.
- Add the brown sugar to the vinaigrette and remove from heat.
- In the large pot that you had your penne in, or a different pot, toss together your pasta, asparagus, butter, sauce, and cheese.
- Sprinkle with more parmesan (if desired) and serve immediately.

SO easy and SO delicious! There's really nothing to compare it to. I think if you wanted to alter it slightly, it's entirely possible to make it vegan!

Inspiration came from: Food & Wine.