Call Me Mrs. Rapp: Shrimp & Pesto Pasta

Friday, November 18, 2011

Shrimp & Pesto Pasta

Have I annoyed you with pesto yet? Well I'm sorry if I have, but I just can't help it. I love how one batch of this pesto has gone so far and been used in so many meals. Not to mention it has made my life easier having some in the freezer to grab whenever it fancies me.

So about this dish...John and I used to walk to Noodles on Saturday afternoons during our senior year of college. He would always - and I mean always - get the mac and cheese with parmesan chicken. I would alternate between that spicy tomato cream dish (can't remember what it's called) and the pesto pasta with shrimp. The Shrimp Diablo I make pretty much covers that first recipe I always ordered, but I had yet to tackle the second...

...until now! And guess what? It turned out great! John gave me an awesome compliment (he always does but this one was super great) when he said that it "smells like Italy" when I put his bowl down in front of him. John adores Italy. He studied there for a summer and has never fully came home. So for him to say this, I was beyond excited and had a little happy step going on.

So enjoy this easy meal, pretend summer is still here, and prepare for the cold winter by making and freezing some of this delicious pesto!! (Tip: if you don't have a jar you can freeze it in an ice cube tray then remove it and put it in a plastic bag for easy single servings. Ta-da!)

Shrimp & Pesto Pasta
Recipe by Call Me Mrs. Rapp, inspired by Noodles & Company
Serves 4, depending on portions
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Ingredients:
*1/2-1 cup pesto sauce, store bought or homemade (go for it - make it - I promise it's worth it!)
*about 1 box whole wheat whole grain pasta (I used a hodgepodge of macaroni noodles and penne because it was all I had in my pantry)
*some grape tomatoes, halved
*shrimp, as much or as little as you desire (I used a whole bag, probably a good 20 shrimp)
*Parmesan cheese, for garnish
*salt and pepper
*olive oil

Preparation:
*Thaw shrimp, if frozen, and rinse well.

*Put of large pot of water on stove and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.

*While pasta is cooking, heat some olive oil (or use olive oil spray as I've taken a liking to doing) on a skillet. Add shrimp and saute both sides until cooked to your liking.

*Remove shrimp from skillet and add tomatoes, cooking for 1-2 minutes, until softened.

*Drain pasta.

*Combine shrimp, tomatoes and pasta in a large bowl. Add pesto to the bowl, starting with 1/2 cup and adding more to your taste. Mix well before adding more because a little goes a long way.

*Serve in bowls and sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan cheese (or bagged!).