Roasted asparagus with Balsamic Butter & penne

Ok. Every time I see a recipe with a balsamic vinegar sauce the noodles never look as dark as mine turn out! No idea why sooooo while this looks like pasta with mud sauce it's actually VERY good!! It's a great, easy meatless dish. The sweetness of the balsamic butter goes great with the saltiness of the cheese! My daughter was working on tastes (salty, sweet, bitter,ect) at school so this went hand in hand with that! 

Roasted Asparagus & Balsamic Butter with Penne

1lb asparagus - trimmed & cut into 1in pieces

1/2c balsamic vinegar

1/2tsp brown sugar

1 stick butter - cubed

1/2c shredded mozzarella

1lb penne pasta - cooked according to package directions 

Preheat the oven to 425*. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a small sauce pan, bring the vinegar to a low boil. Boil until reduced and thickened. Stir in the brown sugar. In a large skillet add the penne, asparagus, balsamic vinegar & butter. Stir & cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir in the cheese.

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