Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus

This pasta is TO DIE FOR! The preparation takes a little bit of time but I promise that it will be worth it! Fabulous for feeding a big crowd! One negative of this recipe: the cream and chicken broth separate a little bit the second day and the sauce is not as good as it was on the first day (in our opinion but you might think differently).

Ingredients for Sauce and Pasta
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 pound bacon
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, well drained
1 pound asparagus
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 pound penne pasta, cooked and drained
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Ingredients for Shrimp
1 pound large shrimp, cleaned
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions for Sauce and Pasta
1. Snap off the ends of the asparagus and slice them diagonally into very thin slices and set aside.
2. Melt butter and 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add onion and cook until golden, stirring often, about 8 minutes.
4. Add cooked back and sun-dried tomatoes and toss to combine.
5. Add asparagus and chicken broth to skillet and bring to a simmer.
6. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until asparagus is just tender.
7. Stir in cream and bring to a boil.
8. Stir in 1/2 of the parmesan cheese and season to taste with pepper.

Directions for Shrimp
1. Combine 1/4 cup olice oil, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley in a bowl.
2. Add cleaned shrimp and toss to coat well.
3. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and no longer than 3 hours.
4. Saute the chilled shrimp, usually takes 3 minutes per side to cook - do NOT overcook.
5. Top the pasta and sauce with sauted shrimp and sprinkle remaining parmesan and parsley.

To Assemble
1. Put the cooked pasta into a bowl.
2. Add the SCRUMPTIOUS sauce and shrimp. Top with the remaining grated parmesan cheese and parsley.