Balsamic Mushroom Pasta

Salads, salads everywhere… except on this blog. As usual, I’m slow on the uptake and have yet to join the masses in the whole“it’s January so it’s time to make and blog about salad” thing. I figure if I have to take down our Christmas decorations  (boo-hiss!) then I’m not giving up anything up food-wise – at least not until I’ve gotten used to our living room sans twinkle lights and garlands. How depressing to carefully wrap up all the ornaments and then have salad for dinner. Nope.

So, salads, you’re just going to have to wait.

In the meantime, we’re enjoying pasta at our house. Pasta that’s been tossed in a creamy balsamic sauce…

 This plate of mushroom-y goodness was just what I needed after our Christmas decoration take-down marathon. Comforting, delicious, but so simple to make and it’s sort of fancy-looking, don’t you think? We all still need a little fancy decadence right now.

This balsamic mushroom pasta recipe makes enough for 2 people – maybe 3 if there’s a side of crusty bread to go along with it. I wasn’t kidding about how easy it is to make — first get a big pot of salty water going for the pasta. While you’re waiting for it to come to a boil, prep the shallot, garlic, and mushrooms (or buy the pre-sliced ones!). Once the water is boiling, toss in the pasta and start heating the butter and oil in another pan and get going on the sauce. It comes together so quickly – just saute the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms in the butter and oil, deglaze the pan with some balsamic, and then add in the cream. By that point the pasta will be ready to toss in the pan. Some parmesan and parsley finishes the whole thing off. Take a bite and forget about all the salad nonsense – we can always start the diets next week.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces fettuccine pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup shallot, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a few tablespoons for garnish
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the fettuccine according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking prepare the mushroom sauce.
2. In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once melted, add in the shallots and garlic and cook for a few minutes or so, just until softened.
3. Add in the sliced mushrooms and toss them around to get them coated in the butter and olive oil. If needed, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil if the mushrooms get too dry. Let them cook and brown for about 8 minutes.
4. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and stir everything together making sure to scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add in the other tablespoon of butter. Cook everything together for a couple of minutes and then turn off the heat and move the pan off the burner.
5. Pour in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
6. Add the cooked fettuccine to the sauce and toss to combine. Add in the fresh parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper (about a 1/2 teaspoon of each).
7. Serve with additional parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

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