Creamy Pasta with Shrimp and Peas

I made two versions of this dish this week – one with shrimp and one with chicken. Its super easy and I guarantee you have most of the ingredients already in your fridge. It is half based on a recipe that a co-worker gave me and half made up by “moi”.

 

Creamy pasta with shrimp and peas

 

Ingredients (made for two):

• Frozen cooked shrimp

• ½ cup frozen peas

• Linguini – I use about a half box for 2 servings (of course any shape pasta will do but for long pasta I always use linguini)

• 3 oz cream cheese

• 4 tbsp butter – one to sauté the shrimp in, the rest for the pasta

• 1 ½ cups Italian shredded cheese – I had a bag that was a mix of a few kinds - you’re going to put 1 cup in the pan and use another ½ cup to sprinkle over the dish before serving

• Basil – probably a tsp of dried basil, adjust to taste

• Fresh parsley – 1 tbsp – use most in the pan but save some to sprinkle on the top of the dish before serving

• Fresh Chives – 1-2 tsp

• Salt and Pepper to taste
   

Steps:

1. Cook pasta according to directions on box – since I’ll eventually add the pasta to the pan with all the other ingredients I don’t cook it all the way, more al dente (I almost wrote “noodles” – my sister says “noodles”. We were out to eat at Olive Garden once and she asked what shape noodle a dish came in. haha! who says noodles above the age of 10? She’s funny)

2. Melt 1 tbsp butter in pan and sauté shrimp

 

 

3. When pasta is cooked add to shrimp

4. Add everything else, stir slightly, cover and let the butter and cheeses melt

5. When all is melted plate and top with some more shredded cheese and some fresh parsley.

 

This dish is so easy to make, you can add or substitute other herbs depending on what you have available. Tonight for dinner I made a version of this only with chicken and broccoli instead of shrimp and peas. And instead of basil I used lemon zest (everything else was the same). The lemon zest gave it that extra punch of flavor. Yum!

 

Took this picture of Patches and Sister (who is finally healthy!) I have a new appreciation for people who have good pictures of two or more kids or pets. I think I took 10 shots of them before this one. They rarely sit this close together. Patches likes his space. Sister is the cuddle dog.

 
 

My husband has two work trips this week so I’ll be baking and cleaning the house every night. If I can get motivated enough I’ll get some more posts up this week too. We’ll see!