Linguine With Shrimp Scampi

This is a delicious and easy meal that never disappoints!  I always have frozen shrimp in the freezer (not the cooked ones).  To thaw them I dump the shrimp into a stainless bowl of hot water and let them sit there while I get the pasta water boiling and into the pot. 

After getting the shrimp in the bowl, I realized I only had 1/4 of a package of linguine.  So, I decided to call it "crazy pasta night" and added all the little bits of each kind of pasta I had in the pantry bins.  I used linguine, bow tie, and cavatappi.  The kids thought it was hilarious.  This recipe is another Barefoot Contessa recipe.  One of the first I learned to make by memory because we had it often! 

 

In a separate pan you add olive oil and butter. Saute the garlic and then add the shrimp (don't forget to take the tails off!). Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon slices (I forgot this one!) and parsley. Drain pasta and put into the pan with the shrimp scampi. Combine and add parmasean cheese (I added this). The kids like freshly grated paremsan on everything! A little goes a long way when you grate it fresh!

 

You can put it in a nice serving dish when you have guests over and it looks fantastic.  Since it was just the kids and I it stayed in the pan on a trivet on the table.

 

Git it a try!

This used to be my oldest son's FAVORITE meal from 3 years old to probably 7 years old...then he switched to salmon. lol. Everyone always asks me how I get my kids to eat so healthy and not have to cook a separate meal. I'm gonna let you in on it...THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION. What is on the plate is what is for dinner. I actually went to my son's pediatrician when he was 2 years old and asked what I should do, he told me exactly that. I listened, and never made a separate meal again. Will there be whining? Yes. Will there be nights they don't eat dinner? In the beginning, yes. But when they see they are not getting to place their special order, they go with the flow.  They will live. Trust me!

Linguine With Shrimp Scampi

Barefoot Contessa (Family Style Cookbook, p 106)

Serves 6

Ingredients

Vegetable oil  (I used olive oil)

1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 pound linguine  (I used a few different kinds!)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds  (totally forgot to do this!  lol)
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes   (left this out)

Directions

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.