With it being so freaking hot this summer it's hard to get motivated to cook! I was sitting on the couch thinking about cooking supper and I remembered a dish I hadn't made in a long time that requires very little energy to make and no oven. So, if you're hot and tired and have to cook something for supper, Pasta Primavera has to be one of the perfect summer dishes to make.

Here's what you'll need:

16 ounces Rigatoni or other pasta
5 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
1 bag of Stir-fry Frozen Vegetables
1 cup Milk
8 ounces Cream Cheese
2 cups Cubed or Diced Ham
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

First, you'll need to cook your pasta. I used Garden Rigatoni, but I've used spaghetti, vermicelli, bow-ties, and penne pasta. Put a pot of water on to boil, add a little salt and when it's boiling, add your pasta.

While the pasta is boiling, put 3 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic in a skillet and turn your burner on medium-low. Add the bag of frozen vegetables, give it a stir and put the lid on it.


Once the vegetables are thawed and tender, add the cream cheese and milk. I slice the cream cheese as I'm adding it to make it easier to stir while it's melting.


Next you'll add the ham. I buy diced ham and use about three-fourths of the package. You could use leftover ham cut up into small pieces. I wouldn't use lunchmeat because the thin pieces will stick together and  won't get distributed evenly through the mixture. Trust me, I've tried it in a pinch and it's just not as good. So, stir in the ham and turn the burner down to the lowest setting. Put the lid on and let it simmer while you're checking on your pasta.


If you have to go chase down your phone or a kid before you get a chance to check your pasta, make sure you stir the sauce mixture when you get back so it doesn't burn to the bottom of your skillet. Regardless of what you're chasing or not chasing, once it's bubbling, give it a stir, put the lid back on and go ahead and turn off the burner. Now, if the pasta is tender it's time to drain it. I always test it by seeing how easily I can cut through it with my spoon against the side of the pan.


After the pasta is drained, pour it back into the pan. Mix in the last 2 tablespoons of butter and the Parmesan cheese.


Now stir the sauce mixture in with the pasta and viola, you've made Pasta Primavera. This made enough for 3 meals for me and the hubby. He didn't get a second helping, but it was because I put enough on his plate to equal two helpings so I wouldn't have to get up!


I'm pretty confident this would feed a family of eight. You would definitely have six very generous servings.