Penne, Pesto, and P....Shrimp

Friday evening Blake and I were craving some delicious carbs.  Let's be honest, when I am I NOT craving carbs?  Especially when it comes to pasta.  I could eat pasta every single day.  Maybe every single meal.  If I were stranded on a desserted island and I could bring three items, pasta would be one of them.  Yea pasta!

I immediately knew I was going to use some whole wheat penne I had, but what to go with it.  After glancing through the cabinets, fridge, and freezer I decided it was a pesto and shrimp night.  Normally I like making pesto from scratch.  It's not hard and your food processor does all the work.  This summer though I found a really great jarred pesto at Sam's.  It now has a permanent home in our fridge.  It is in the refrigerated section next to the fresh pasta and it is as close to homemade as I have found.  It's very bright, fresh, and so easy to use when you don't have the right ingredients on hand, or just don't feel like dragging out the processor.  Plus having ready made pesto in your fridge gives you an unlimited amount of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and appetizer options.  Mix some into your scrambled eggs, spread some on your sandwich at lunch, drizzle some over some grape tomoatoes and mozzarella, mix in with any hot/cold pasta, or over any grilled meat or veggies.  Yummy times infinity.  I highly suggest giving it a try. 

Pesto Penne with Garlic Parsley Shrimp

The picture above is before I fully dressed the dish.  Here's how it works.  Truly one of the easiest recipes ever.  Put on a large pot of water and bring to a boil.  Liberally salt the water and add the pasta of your choice.  While the pasta is boiling coat the shrimp with some olive oil, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a pan and saute the shrimp until opaque, about 3 minutes.  Move to the side.  When the pasta is al dente drain and place into a large bowl.  Add anywhere between 1/4 and 1/2 a cup of the prepared pesto depending on how saucy you like it.  Add in the shrimp.  Mix.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice, parmesan, and parsley.  Eat until your hearts content, or until you're about to explode, whichever comes first.  The end. 

ANYONE can do this! 

On a lighter note (haha) we're getting ready for Snowmagedon 2011 in Oklahoma City.  Supposedly we could get anywhere from six to twelve inches over the next twenty four hours.  Bring it on!  I'm ready for a grand snow in (with electricity of course).  I already have two soups and a new pasta dish on my list of things to do while we're hibernating tomorrow.  Anyone else have snow day plans?  I'll keep you updated!

Xo-Wife of Wright