FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER -- pasta primavera

                                               PASTA PRIMAVERA
                             adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine
                                                September 1992

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1  8-ounce package mushrooms, each quartered
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 small carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces chicken broth, preferably organic
• 8 ounces Half & Half
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium-size tomato, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• addition Parmesan, for finishing

1.  Prepare spaghetti; drain.  Return spaghetti to pot; keep warm.
2.  In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, in 1-inch boiling water, heat broccoli pieces to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until broccoli is tender-crisp; drain.
3.  While broccoli is cooking, in a 12-inch skillet over high heat, add the olive oil and heat; cook the mushrooms, onion, and carrot, stirring frequently, until vegetables are golden and tender-crisp.  Add the red pepper strips and continue to cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender.
4.  In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix chicken broth, Half & Half, cornstarch and salt.  Stir this mixture into the vegetables.  Over high heat, heat to boiling; boil 1 minute.  Add diced tomato, Parmesan cheese, parsley, broccoli and spaghetti, tossing to coat well; heat through.  Sprinkle individual servings with additional Parmesan cheese.