Linguine with White Sauce

Any time I have guests over, I am almost always serving pasta. It is absolutely one of the easiest meals to serve to copious amounts of people and is always a crowd-pleaser. People think it's amazing that you slaved away all day in the kitchen preparing a beautiful meal when really, let's be honest here, I can have a spaghetti dinner on the table in twenty minutes or less. I'm like Applebee's, getting your lunch served in under fifteen minutes or it's free! 

As you can see in my photo, there is asparagus on the side of the plate, which I sautéed in a little olive oil and tossed with salt and pepper to taste then garnished with parmesan cheese, and red peppers on top the pasta. I love sweet red peppers with this white sauce, they compliment each other's tastes beautifully and it adds some vegetable and color to a primarily beige carbohydrate dish. You do not have to serve your pasta with either of these elements but I like to throw a little color into any dish I serve to guests because it can really take their eating experience to the next level to not only eat something delicious but beautiful as well.

I'm not gonna lie though, it's always nice to have people fawning over the delectable looking meal you put in front of them, even if you know it took you a mere thirty minutes to throw it together and the rest of your day was spent watching Netflix instead! Oh well. No one needs to know how much time you spent making a delicious meal. All they have to know is it looks and tastes great! That's what this recipe is for. A meal that will take you only the time it takes to cook your pasta, which is about ten minutes if you like al dente. So serve it up and wait for the applause. I know for a fact you will get at least one of these from your guests: "Mmmm...."

What You Need:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2-3 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. parsley
• 2-3 Tbsp. basil
• flour to thicken (I used about 1 Tbsp.)
• favorite pasta

How to Do It:

When you're waiting for the pasta water to boil, pour cream and chicken broth into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add butter and when it is just melting, add cheese and spices. Stir occasionally. When pasta water is boiling, add your pasta and cook to your idea of perfection. When you've started cooking your pasta, remove about a cup of the sauce into a separate bowl. Add flour and stir until thick. Replace the thickened sauce to the saucepan and stir. Allow to thicken the remaining sauce until it is to your liking. As I said earlier, I used about a tablespoon to achieve my desired thickness. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain of water and place into a serving bowl. Pour sauce over spaghetti, toss lightly until noodles are coated with sauce and serve!