Recipe Friday: Garlic Lemon Shrimp with Pasta

Serves: 5

Cook Time: 30 minutes from start to serve

We’re still working on those big bags of shrimp that my husband got. They are really yummy!
We decided, with the hot weather, we didn’t want a dinner as heavy as the Shrimp Alfredo, but we like the combination of the shrimp, asparagus, and pasta. So I looked around again, and mixed what I liked from what I saw.

Again, I used an eclectic mix of pasta: some spinach, some gluten-free (rice), and some semolina (regular kind). They were all spaghetti noodles. You could go fancy and use linguini pasta.

Steamed broccoli florets would be a nice swap for the roasted asparagus.

This recipe makes four servings, give or take, depending on everyone’s appetite. A side salad and some garlic bread would go great with it. Offer some grated Parmesan cheese to top it off.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh asparagus, washed clean, dry ends cut off, cut into bite-size pieces

6 ounces dry spaghetti or linguine noodles (3 or 4 servings)

1 pound shrimp, pre-cooked or raw, but peeled and deveined (if frozen, thaw and drain well)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon fresh or dried lemon zest (if dried, soak overnight in a bit of water, or use the white wine)

5 – 10 drops lemon essential oil

1/4 cup dry white wine, optional

Directions:

Oil a baking pan, and spread the asparagus in it. Drizzle with more oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake in a hot oven (375°), stirring once, 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly roasted.
Boil pasta according to package directions.

In a medium-size frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Drain the shrimp, and sauté in the butter. When shrimp are 1 minute away from being done, stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic. Cook and stir one minute, then add the lemon zest, lemon essential oil, and wine. Remove from heat.
Drain the pasta, return to low heat. Pour in the cooked shrimp mixture. Stir.
Add the roasted asparagus; stir.
Serve immediately.