Spaghetti with Asparagus, Shiitake Mushrooms, Lemon, and Chives

"You think you're not an asparagus lover?  You thought wrong. Do mushrooms mess with you? Not for long. Try it all together in this little sweetheart of a dish, and you will be begging for more. My only recommendation: always put in more spaghetti than it asks for."  -Andrew

This recipe comes from epicurious.  Their recipes can be a little more complicated and fancy, but they're usually really good, in my experience.  You can also see ratings on this site, which is helpful. 

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces spaghetti (I cooked 2 lbs of fettuccine (we had guests))
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided (I used about 1/2 that)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 4)
• 1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced (I used 1/2 shiitake and 1/2 cheaper bella)
• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut crosswise in thirds
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I didn't have any chives)
• 4 ounces shaved Asiago cheese (I used Parmesan)

Directions:

Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer pasta to large wide bowl.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add shiitake mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté shiitake mixture until soft, about 6 minutes. Add lemon juice; cook 1 minute. Add broth and lemon peel. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add asparagus to mushroom mixture; simmer until asparagus turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Add chives and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until butter melts. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over pasta; toss to coat. Top with shaved Asiago and serve. 

Even though I made quite a few changes, it was still really tasty.  I actually cooked 2 lbs of extra pasta because we had guests coming over and I was afraid there wouldn't be enough.  I had the sauce on the side so it would go further, and we ended up having plenty.  I'd definitely recommend this one, it's really fast, tasty, and filling!