Pasta Primavera

Everyone I know eats meat. So when our daughter and her fiancé come over we usually grill. Bob grills hamburgers for everyone else and either portobello burgers or bean burgers for me. Last night I didn't feel like burgers so I said I would make some pasta primavera. I was pretty intimidated since her fiancé is a chef. Oh, and have I mentioned that I don't really have a recipe for this? Ugh! So I just started grabbing everything I could think of that I've had in primavera sauces in restaurants and started chopping! He couldn't see how I was going to get a rich enough sauce without using butter. Not only did he like the sauce, but he got seconds! He never guessed my secret for a thick, rich sauce either, I had to tell him! It's the chopped mushrooms! They almost melt into the sauce making it thick and rich!

Pasta Primavera

1 yellow squash, cut up
1 zucchini, cut up
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, cut up
Oregano
Basil
Vegetable broth
4-5 oz crimini mushrooms, rinsed
2 jars pasta sauce
1 pkg whole wheat linguine, cooked

Place all vegetables except mushrooms in a Dutch oven. Add seasonings to taste. Cook on medium heat, add about 1/4 cup vegetable broth. Cover and cook until vegetables start to get soft, adding a little broth if needed.

Put mushrooms in a food processor fitted with an "s" blade and process until the mushrooms are the size and texture of ground beef. Add the mushrooms to the vegetables and stir. Add the pasta sauce, cover and cook on medium heat. When the sauce comes to a boil, lower fire and simmer until vegetables are soft (to taste) and flavors have blended.

Serve over linguine pasta.

Tip: Save the mushroom stems in a freezer bag and use it to make stock when the bag is full!