Just add a Pound of Butter

Sometimes I enjoy cooking. I'm usually pretty good at it if I try. Why? For 1.5 years John and I lived with a cool couple in Brookline, MA where I cooked dinner 4 nights a week, among our other duties. It was great, and I learned to cook a lot of new things. Thanks Pam!

I learned about Ina Garten from the public library in Ketchikan Alaska when I was home for Christmas one year, totally by accident. This is woman is my favorite. Her recipes are GOOD and NO FAIL. I'm not kidding. I try new recipes from her for the first time when I have company...that's how good her recipes are. I used to have all her books, but now I'm 2 behind. Her bakery/bistro was called the Barefoot Contessa, which she is now called. All her books go by that name too. She's so popular now her books are sold at Costco for a great price.

My all time favorite, super easy and fast Linguine with Shrimp Scampi is worth trying. Of course fresh shrimp is always the best, but those of you land locked like me, it is okay to use frozen. The KEY is to cook them only until they JUST TURN PINK. Than turn off the heat, add the other ingredients. I know you think that you'll have under cook shrimp, but you won't, I promise. Otherwise you'll just have tough tasteless shrimp. My sister-in-law, who's family doesn't care for shrimp, replaces it with chicken which seems to work well for them.

Use fresh garlic and lemon juice, it WILL be a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 pound linguine
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
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

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.

If you are looking for low fat or low calorie recipes, look elsewhere. These recipes should just be for Sundays or when guest come over......there is a LOT of butter used in all her recipes = Great Flavor

All pictures from Barefootcontessa.com