Recipe #29: Shrimp over Angel Hair Pasta

It's been SOO long since I posted anything. We've been nothing less than busy for the last 4 months - I just took my last of 4 tests for the CPA exam, we sold our house, moved into an apartment temporarily and are waiting on our new house to be built. Whew!!

I've still been cooking, but most of it has been on recipes I've tried before. Occasionally I'll try some new ones, but not like I used. This week, I have 3 new recipes to try! I made the first one last night. It was good. I'll make it again, but I'll make changes to the recipe, more in line with our taste preferences. The original recipe is here, from food.com.

Ingredients:
*1/2 lb angel hair pasta
*2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil, separated
*1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined - can be raw or cooked (follow instructions accordingly)
*2 tsp garlic, chopped
*1 tsp salt
*1 tsp pepper
*1 cup chicken broth
*1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
*1 tblsp freshly grated lemon peel
*1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 2 large lemons)
*1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
*1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

First of all, let me tell you what I would change from the ingredients (based on our personal preferences). I did not use any salt, and only about 1/2 tsp of pepper. I omitted the grated lemon peel, and I would only do 1/8 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon). I thought the final dish was too lemony, which is why I would cut back. I might add a little more cheese, also, to make it a bit cheesier, but the 1/3 cup is a nice amount. (We love our cheese.)

One last note... make sure all of your ingredients are ready to go before you start cooking. The recipe cooked very quickly, leaving little downtime between steps. The original recipe implies cooking the pasta while also cooking the shrimp/sauce. I couldn't keep up with both. I was too afraid that I'd overcook the pasta or shrimp, so I called DH in to help me out. He's a good guy, he is.

Cook the pasta; drain and pour into a serving bowl. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic, 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper, and shrimp (if using uncooked) over medium-high heat. Cook for two minutes, or until shrimp are barely pink or garlic is soft. Add broth and crushed red pepper and increase the heat to high. If using cooked shrimp, add cooked shrimp now. Cook shrimp mixture on high for 2-3 minutes, until shrimp are thoroughly heated (may just be 1-2 minutes, if you originally started with raw shrimp). Stir in lemon peel and juice.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper to pasta. Toss pasta to coat. Add the shrimp mixture, parsley and cheese. Mix the mixture well and serve immediately. Add some garlic bread, a nice glass of wine, and you'll have yourself a nice meal! :)

Enjoy! TTFN!