BLT Pasta and Balsamic Asparagus

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Everyone loves the traditional crunchy, crisp texture of bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. This pasta captures all those flavors with half the fat! Low-fat cream cheese makes a sauce as creamy as mayo. Prosciutto is the perfecto substituion for bacon, but don’t forget to trim the excess fat before stirring it in. I swamped out the lettuce for arugula, adding an Italian spin to this American classic.

In this segment, which aired on Sunday, March 30, 2008 on New York’s CBS2 Sunday Morning News, Jennifer showcased her recipes for CBS’s Tony Tantillo. In this second segment, she prepared the BLT Pasta and Balsamic Asparagus, while the first segment featured the Avocado Chocolate Milkshake and the Guacamole.

Recipes Covered in Segments

Browse the following recipes covered in the segment, and be sure to download & print a copy for your files!

• Chocolate Avocado Milkshake
  Avocado in a milkshake might sound unusual, but in Vietnam it’s a traditional treat that you can order in local restaurants. Enjoy a creamy, rich shake while getting a serving of vegetables to boot!
• Guacamole
  Whenever I invite guests over during the summer - I serve plenty of guacamole because it’s so popular! Many friends have told me that their guacamole is not nearly as tasty and I think I know what the trouble is: Make sure that your avocados are completely ripe before cutting them open.
• BLT Pasta
  I created this recipe for my friend, the Fresh Grocer, Tony Tantillo. It’s an Italian spin on classic American flavors of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. I also added fresh fennel for extra flavor and texture.
• Balsamic Asparagus
  Asparagus is the quintessential spring vegetable but is easy to find year-round. Balsamic mixed with chicken broth and cornstarch adds a sweet-and-sour flavor to this dish. Top with grilled, sliced chicken to make it a meal.