I had some dental work done yesterday and really needed something soft, comforting and delicious to eat today. I have a few recipes my cousin Kathy sent me from her home in Italy to try out and there was one that I definitely had my eye on. Yesterday, while my mouth was still numb, I went shopping. I was worried that today I might not be up to going out, so I picked up some nice, fresh shrimp. I was planning on making Kathy & Pete’s Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Scampi Pasta dish. It had caught my eye when I received her recipes.
This morning, my husband and I decided to take a ride to see my mom and dad at mom’s nursing home. I was feeling better and we wanted to see them before the coming snowstorm. I had some meals prepared for my dad and wanted him to have them for the week. On the way home, we stopped over in Williamsburg to see our daughter. It was a great day. It’s always so good to see my family – true medicine for the soul. There’s nothing like spending time with my family to cure all that ails me.
I thank God everyday for my family. I was so fortunate to be raised by two people who know the definition of unconditional love. My parents, George and Else, have been married for over 60 years. They are totally devoted to their marriage (in sickness and health) and their family. Dad was a policeman and was on the job for over 30 years. Mom was a homemaker most of her life, but she was a hair dresser prior to marriage. This career fit her well as she was always so stylish and beautiful. Both of them taught my two brothers and I so much about life. They worked extremely hard and saved to make sure we were well provided for growing up. We didn’t have a ton of money back then, yet we never felt poor. My parents supported us in many ways and always encouraged us to try anything we wanted to do. They were always there for us and I appreciated that support, especially as a young stay at home mother of three children.
As soon as we got home today from our visit, I pulled out the recipe I wanted to make. I made a batch of pasta dough and while it rested I did the same. This recipe is quick and delicious and carries a slight kick. It was cooked and on the table in 30 minutes, so it will make a nice addition to our work week rotation. One change I made to the recipe was to put a small amount of fresh baby spinach in at the last minute. I felt I needed a vegetable and thought this would be the perfect addition.
Pete’s Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- 8 ounces linguine ( I made homemade pasta noodles)
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine OR chicken stock if you don’t want to use alcohol
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon (I did not use)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Pour a nice cold beer, as it goes great with this meal. Turn Alexa on for dancing in the kitchen.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions and drain well. (Homemade takes 2 minutes)
- In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter over a medium-high heat.
- Add in the shrimp, cajun seasoning, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Stir periodically, until fully cooked- about 3 minutes.
- Stir in wine OR chicken stock and the fresh lemon juice; season with salt and pepper
- Lower to a simmer; remove from heat and stir in pasta, lemon zest, HALF a cup of the parmesan cheese and mix until fully incorporated.
- Top with the last half cup of parmesan cheese & chopped parsley
- Serve immediately
This was just enough for two with no leftover. Sorry, I took the picture before I decided to add the baby spinach. Thanks to Pete and Kathy for sharing their favorite recipes. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did! Please drop me a note if you would like to share a story, or recipe from your family. I’d love to feature it on an upcoming blog post.
Reclaiming My Health 