This elegant meal is restaurant quality, but won’t break the bank!  Quite often frozen shrimp go on sale at the grocery store which helps keep the cost of this meal reasonable.  Be sure and stock up!  To defrost shrimp, simply put them in a bowl and fill with water.  In about 10 minutes, the shrimp will be defrosted and ready to go.

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Shrimp Pappardelle

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2

Calories 697kcal

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1-2 cloves garlic diced
• 1 small jar marinated artichokes with liquid
• 2 Tbsp chives chopped
• 2 Tbsp green onion chopped
• 1 large tomato cut into chunks or 10 - 12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1/2 - 2/3 pound uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounce pappardelle or fettuccine noodles
• Basil chopped
• Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

• In large pan, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes.       
• Add artichokes with liquid, chives, green onions, and tomato.  Heat through until tomatoes start to break up.
• In separate pan, sauté shrimp until pink - add salt and pepper to taste.  Add shrimp to artichoke mixture.
  
• Meanwhile, cook pasta to desired doneness, 8-11 minutes.  Place cooked pasta on plate, top with shrimp mixture.
• Garnish with basil and parmesan cheese.

Notes

Serve with roasted asparagus.

This dish has a ton of flavor and uses ingredients that are very zesty.    Don’t fear the anchovy fillets!  They are mashed and add a background of, to use Vicki’s words, a salty zing.  The sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

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Pasta and Shrimp with Zesty Green Olive Sauce

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Calories 720kcal

Ingredients

• 12 oz. fresh angel hair pasta
• 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup green olives pitted and halved
• 3 Tbsp capers drained
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan finely grated (plus more for serving)
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp  roasted and salted sunflower seeds
• 1 lb cooked shrimp

Instructions

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until desired doneness.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.    
• Finely chop anchovies and garlic. Using the back of a chef's knife, mash the mixture on a cutting board until you have a paste.
• Combine paste with dill, lemon zest, parsley, basil, and half the olives and capers (not chopped) in a large bowl.
• Chop remaining olives and capers and add to bowl, along with the olive oil.  Mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta liquid to sauce.  Toss, adding Parmesan a bit at a time, along with more pasta liquid as needed until sauce coats pasta.
• Add lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Serve pasta topped with shrimp, sunflower seeds and more Parmesan.

Want to impress your friends or just your “sweetie pie,” make this fresh-tasting, fast and elegant smoked salmon pasta dish.  On the table in less than fifteen minutes!

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Smoked Salmon and Pasta

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh linguine or angel hair pasta
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp capers rinsed
• 1 Tbsp whole grained mustard
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
• 10 slices smoked salmon
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 2 Tbsp Italian parsley chopped

Instructions

• Cook fresh pasta according to directions.    
• While the pasta is cooking, place the olive oil, lemon juice, capers, mustard and onion in a small pan and heat over low heat until contents are warmed through - about 2 minutes.
•  Drain the pasta and stir in the lemon mixture.
• Top with sliced salmon, dill and parsley.
• Add fresh ground pepper.
• Serve in large pasta bowls with warm bread.

This is truly scrumptious!  One of best parts about this recipe is that it is served at room temperature.  We like it as a side dish, but you can make it a main meal by adding cooked chicken, shrimp or beef.  Is it very spicy?  It has about a medium heat.  To make it more or less spicy, increase or decrease the chili oil.

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Spicy Asian Peanut Sesame Noodles

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp peanut or canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh ginger minced
• 3 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp hot chili oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles look in produce section of grocery store
• 8 green onions thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil sliced

Instructions

• Start the water to boil for the egg noodles.   
• Heat the peanut oil in a small skillet until hot. Sauté the garlic and ginger for one minute.
• Place in a large bowl and whisk in the next 6 ingredients.
• Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water once cooked.  Rinse until pasta becomes cool.    
• Add pasta to sauce bowl and stir until pasta is well coated.  
• Add sliced green onions and stir.
  
• Leave pasta at room temperature for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.  
• Before serving, add peanuts and basil and thoroughly mix all ingredients.

Notes

To make it more or less spicy, increase or decrease the chili oil.

This dish keeps in the refrigerator for several days.  Be sure to bring to room temperature before serving.

This linguine dish is so good it would be great for a family meal or perfect for company.  And it will be ready in 30 minutes!

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Quick Spicy Tomato and Bacon Linguine

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1/3 pound thick-sliced bacon chopped
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup sweet onions roughly chopped
• 6 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp dried basil
• parmesan cheese
• 1 pound fresh linguine cooked

Instructions

• Sauté bacon until almost crisp.    
  
• Remove bacon and drain on a paper towel.
• Leave 2 Tbsp bacon drippings in pan and add olive oil, water, and onions. Sauté for 3 minutes.
• To pan, add tomatoes, wine, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and bacon.  Sauté for 3 minutes.
• Finally, add basil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve over pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese.