Penne with Summer Squash, Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Ricotta

I may not have children, but I am the new owner of one very hungry husband, and as far as I'm concerned, that's pretty much the same thing. He gets cranky when he's hungry, near-tears, even. (Okay, that's an exaggeration, but my point is, when I need to get dinner on the table, it's got to get there. Fast.)

As a newlywed, I was completely shocked to discover that our evenings after the ol' 9-5 (or 9-9, as the case may be) were all but lost to thank-you cards, calls to family and friends, and sometimes a little narcissistic photo viewing. By the time dinner even enters our minds, it's 8:00, and out of desperation we ordered out nearly every night for two weeks. Pizza, Thai, Chinese, Pizza. Woof. Needless to say, we were in desperate need of a satisfying meal that showcased the best of seasonal produce, as well as my mad skills in the kitchen.

Enter: the quick, delicious, and dare I say -- healthy -- meal in a pinch!

Penne with Summer Squash, Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Ricotta
Serves 4; Total time, 30 mins
Ingredients:
16 oz. dried penne pasta (any shape will do, but short cut is best)
1 zucchini, chopped into half-moons
2 squash, chopping into half-moons
1/2 bunch of asparagus (about10 stalks), cut on bias into 2-inch pieces
3 gloves of garlic, diced
1/2 small onion
3 tbps. extra virgin olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat
3/4 log of goat cheese (with or without herbs)
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta
Zest of one lemon
salt
pepper
Directions:
1. Prepare pasta in liberally salted water, according to package instructions.2. Meanwhile, saute chopped onion, garlic, red pepper flakes in a large pan over medium heat. Onions should be translucent and garlic softened -- but not brown!
3. Add chopped zucchini, squash, and asparagus, and saute until tender, but still crisp. (I'll be honest, I screw up the doneness of vegetables 9 out of 10 times - taste as you go, it helps.)
4. While vegetables and pasta are cooking, prepare your sauce. Combine goat cheese, ricotta, salt, pepper, and lemon zest into a small bowl. Add some starchy pasta water to loosen this up a bit.
5. When pasta is done, strain (reserving a cup or so of cooking liquid beforehand) and add to the saute pan, over low heat.
6. Stir in the cheese mixture until vegetables and pasta are coated. If things are looking tight, add a bit of pasta water. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve!

Serve:
This is a whole meal for the hungry hubs and I, but would also be wonderful as a side dish to chicken or salmon. This ends up feeding us for dinner and lunch the next day!

Add-ins:
Chopped parsley, basil, parmesan cheese, lightly-toasted pine nuts.