Recipes out of the Blond Box

1 container (15 ounces) part skim ricotta cheese
5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¼ cup grated cheese
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated cheese, parsley, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Add penne to boiling water and cook for 7 min., or until tender. Add asparagus to the pot for the final 3 min. of cooking time. Before draining, set aside 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and place in serving bowl.
3. Add ricotta mixture and bacon to serving bowl. Stir well to combine, adding reserved pasta water by the ¼ cup full if necessary. Serve immediately