Every time they hear the kitchen aid mixer being taken out, the kids head for the kitchen, dragging stools and chair behind them.  Everybody wants a turn to add the ingredients and maybe sneak a taste or two!  This year for my birthday, my mother-in-law gave me a pasta maker for my birthday.  I recruited the kids to help and went to pinterest for a fresh and easy summer recipe for the sauce.

I actually used a mix for the pasta itself (part of the birthday present).  But next time, I’ll make that from scratch.  With just flour and eggs, how hard can it be?

The kids loved cranking the handle and once we got going, it was quite easy.  The pasta was delicious and tastes totally different from the dried pasta that you buy at the market.  I will say that cleaning the pasta maker was my least favorite part.  After soaking it, I was using a toothpick to get all the bits of pasta out of the nooks and crannies.  If anyone owns a pasta maker and knows a better way…fill me in!

Once we made the pasta, I covered it in plastic and put it in the fridge to wait while I made the quick and easy sauce!  I roughly chopped an 8 ounce package of sliced mushrooms…

Then cut up a half of a medium sized red onion.  I sauteed those both in a little bit of olive oil.

Then I added one cup of heavy cream and one cup of fresh parmesan cheese.  After the cheese melted into the sauce, I added a cup of frozen peas and seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper.  Mix with the pasta (that you’ve boiled in water for 2-3 minutes) and you’re done!

I recently ate dinner at my friend Allyson’s house and she served a simple sliced rustic bread brushed with olive oil and lightly toasted.  The simplicity of it was delicious and it was the perfect compliment to this meal!