Sunday, August 26, 2012

Back to School #SundaySupper...Featuring Speedy Spicy Shrimp Pasta

The calendar is about to flip to September, so that means that many of my readers are in back-to-school mode right now. There are no non-feline kiddos at Casa Garcia, but fall is my busiest time of year at work. The last thing I want to do after a hectic, stressful day in the office is come home and whip up a complicated, time-consuming dinner. For me, quick and delicious are the main weeknight considerations. Takeout and pizza delivery are ok on occasion for those REALLY crazy nights, but I always prefer a healthy home-cooked meal. 

The theme for this week's #Sunday Supper is Back to School Meals. Our hostess Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes encouraged us to share family-friendly meals that can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. To me, nothing is faster to prepare than seafood or pasta...so I combined the two to make Spicy Speedy Shrimp Pasta. If you have little ones or you don't like your food spicy, simply reduce or eliminate the red pepper flakes. The pasta will still be delicious...just a little more tame! This dish was inspired by a recipe I saw in Better Homes & Gardens awhile back. I made quite a few changes to suit our tastebuds, though. I had all of the ingredients in my kitchen and pantry...other than the shrimp. For this dish, bite-sized med-large shrimp are best...and buying EZ peel will make the prep work go even faster.

Speedy Spicy Shrimp Pasta
inspired by Better Homes & Gardens

Step 1: Cook 8 ounces of angel hair pasta in well salted water. NOTE: I like to use Barilla Pasta Plus for its extra fiber and other healthy ingredients. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add 1/3 cup slivered red onion, two grated cloves of garlic, and 1 or 2 generous pinches red pepper flakes. Once the veggies are softened, add 1 lb. shrimp and cook until pink.


Step 2: When the shrimp are cooked, add the following ingredients to the skillet: 2 tbs. butter, 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, the juice and zest of one Meyer lemon, two sliced green onions, and salt & black pepper to taste.


Step 3: Stir to combine and cook until the butter melts and combines into the lemon juice and olive oil to create a sauce. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the pan. Toss thoroughly to evenly coat all of the pasta with the flavorful sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly...I had to add a bit more salt at the end for our taste. Use tongs to serve in individual bowls.


This quick pasta dish is really delicious...a little lemony, a little spicy, and all good! I especially loved the slightly sweet tang of the sun-dried tomatoes. Some time-saving things to keep in mind to make this dish come together lickety-split: while the water comes up to a boil, peel the shrimp. While the pasta cooks, chop the rest of the ingredients. Then, the actual cooking of the shrimp mixture and tossing with the cooked pasta takes less than 10 minutes! I served this dish with baked focaccia from the grocery bakery and a simple green salad. 

I hope you'll join the #SundaySupper gang tonight at 600 CST for a live Twiter chat to share back-to-school cooking ideas! In the meantime, make sure to check out all the fabulous and fast meals that my fellow #SundaySupper participants are sharing today:





24 comments:

  1. I love the spicy flavors with the sundried tomatoes. And with pasta, my favorite way!

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    1. This is so easy...all of these ingredients are in my pantry/fridge. And? Shrimp is very abundant in Texas...and usually on sale in summer

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  2. It has shrimp! That means I'll be making this very soon! YUM!

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    1. It's very easy...and really good! It's pretty adaptable...next time, I might add 1/2 cup white wine to flavor the sauce.

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    1. This is so simple...and you could use chicken too, or whatever protein you have on hand!

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  4. Shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, noodles and heat - what's not to like? Yum!

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    1. Yep...it's a simple sauce, but it has a ton of flavor!

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  5. You had me at shrimp. I love it. I am glad to be with you on #Sunday Supper

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    1. It was so good and simple that I'm making it for dinner again tonight...with chicken and shrimp since I have a bit of each leftover in my freezer.

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  6. Hi Wendy! Your pasta looks great. I also love Barilla Pasta Plus - (is that in a yellowish box?) I am totally into the back-to-school mode, being a teacher. Quick, easy and healthy meals are a must for me! I am going to remember to put sun dried tomatoes in my next shrimp/pasta meal.

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    1. Yes...it's in the yellow box. It has more fiber and Omega 3s. Figure it has to be a little bit healthier way to eat pasta!

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  7. My, does this look irresistible! I have to remember that now that my son who is allergic to shrimp is away at college, I can add it back to our menu! Beautifully done, my friend~

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  8. Whew! I thought those sun dried tomato pieces were chiles! Now that would be HOT!

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  9. What a great shrimp dish! Love the spicy and citrus at the same time. Fresh and delish!

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  10. This looks very good. Shrimp and pasta make an excellent weeknight meal. Very satisfying!!

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  11. Wendy,
    Shrimp and pasta go together very quickly for a delicious meal. I love the addition of the lemon and sun dried tomatoes, so much flavor.

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  12. Quick and spicy, now those are two words that I like. This looks fabulous.

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  13. this looks sooooo good! sometimes the simplest dishes are the best!

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  14. Yum!! Love shrimp and pasta and spicy! This might get made this week, I need a shrimp recipe!

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  15. I love the addition of sun dried tomatoes and meyer lemons. Wonderful easy meal to put together. I feel like I should go buy some shrimp right now.

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  16. Shrimp and pasta are two of my favorite things... definitely a winner in my book!

    Jamie @ www.mamamommymom.com

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  17. This looks and sounds great! I love the Barilla's Pasta Plus and shrimp is perfect in a pinch. Thanks for sharing!

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