Herbed Shrimp & Pasta

 

I don't make pasta dishes all that often. I'm not sure why, I just don't think about pasta that much. Which is weird because I actually kind of love it. But then a dish like this comes along. You know, the farthest-from-healthy pasta dish I could find. Well, maybe not the worst out there, but a cup of butter? Not exactly high on the healthy scale. But, it has shrimp, and herbs, and a creamy sauce...so what if I throw healthy out the window every now and then? Right? Just agree and make me feel better, 'kay? Thanks.

Besides, just look at it. Doesn't it just scream "Eat me!!!" It does, I  promise. And it is worthy every health-defying calorie. Every.single.one. I'm going to call it my special occasion pasta dish. And the occasion? Let's call it the binge before the holiday crackdown. Yeah, that sounds like a good occasion. The last hurrah before my food intake is reduced to uber-healthy, try-to-counteract-the-holiday-gluttony-that-is-coming, meals.

But you? You can have this for whatever occasion you want.

It's Friday, let's have pasta!!

Our team won the game, let's have pasta!

Our team lost, let's have pasta!

All of these, and any other you can think of, are acceptable occasions to indulge. Go for it!

Herbed Shrimp & Pasta
Source: Southern Living - Quick & Easy Weeknight Favorites

Ingredients

• 8 oz uncooked pasta (your choice!)
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp chopped dill

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat then add the shrimp and garlic. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are pink, the remove the shrimp and set aside.
3. Add the half-and-half to the garlic and butter in the skillet, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 mintues, until thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the shrimp back to the skillet, along with the parslely, salt, pepper, and dill. Stir to blend and serve over pasta. (You can also toss the pasta into the skillet and combine with the sauce, then serve it up!)