Shrimp Carbonara

I've never had carbonara before. I'm not sure why, as it's pasta and I love pasta and I love bacon. I've probably eyed it on a restaurant menu before and ordered something else. Now I can't wait to try this on a night out. 

I have so many recipes that I rip out of magazines, pined on Pinterest, and dog-ear in books that this one fell through the way side many moons ago. I'm so happy I was finally able to try it a few weeks back, after searching through my cookbooks for menu planning ideas.

This was so good. And so easy! I was under the impression that carba was heavy and that it would be difficult to make at home. This wasn't at all what I expected. The entire plate came together in twenty minutes. I'm serious! It might be a tad heavy for some people, but I imagined this to have a goopy, slippery sauce. This wasn't like that at all. 

There's a bit of a kick from the red pepper flakes, a salty bite from the cheese and bacon, and there's something about it that makes it feel like a restaurant dish. It's so decadent! Make it for a date night at home and pour yourselves a glass of wine, toast some bread and light some candles. A fancy night in! 

In case you're wondering, Miss A did not have any of this. I'm still weary about giving her fish and seeing as there's raw egg yolks in the sauce I didn't want to give that to her either. She gobbled up her own pasta and shredded chicken happily. Next time we might try to wait until she's in bed to experience a true date night at home!

Servings: 4
adapted from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals

1 lb angel hair pasta
1/2 lb cup raw shrimp, peeled and devined
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Parsley, to garnish

Fill a large pot with water and set to boil. When water comes to boil, add a generous amount of salt and the angel hair. Stir and cook until al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and brown for 3-4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes more until fragrant, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn. Pour the white wine into the pan and scrap up all the pan drippings.

Beat the egg yolks and add one large ladleful of the pasta water. This tempers the eggs and prevents them from cooking when you add it to the pasta.

Remove the bacon mixture from the skillet and place in a small bowl. Add the shrimp to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if needed. Cook until shrimp is pink, turning once, about 2-3 minutes. Drain the pasta well and add it back to the pot. Pour the egg yolks and bacon mixture into the pot and toss rapidly to coat the pasta. Add the cheese, lots of pepper, and a little bit of salt. Continue to toss until the sauce has thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and extra cheese if desired.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Do you like shrimp?

I do! I'm in love with the bang bang shrimp tacos at Bonefish Grill. If I knew how to make those tacos, we'd have that once a week! But I'm still very fishy (pun intended!) about fish. I stick to the same cooking method for salmon and for shrimp (the only two seafoods (is that a word)? I make at home). I still have lots to learn about fish and I definitely have room for improvement.

Despite my lack of fishy skills, I do know how to throw shrimp into pasta. This was really good, easy, and quick to put together on a weeknight. Dinner ready in 20 minutes? I'll take it. You might prefer using heavy cream instead of half and half, I bet it would add richness as the half and half just isn't the same. I also think more cheese is necessary, or adding a second cheese might do the trick. It was a Cooking Light recipe after all, so if you're trying to eat healthier after Thanksgiving and before the holiday baking begins, it's a good way to satisfy a pasta craving!

Source: Cooking Light
Serves: 3-4

1 pound fettuccine
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

How do you like to make shrimp?