SimplEdibles: GARLIC SHRIMP VEGGIE PASTA

RECIPES THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO INVITE PEOPLE OVER SO YOU CAN SHARE YOUR BOUNTY WITH THEM.

If you haven't tried it before, then I suggest you consider shrimp as an excellent companion to pasta. I know you always worry about shrimp tasting too "fishy", but if you cook it the way I have in this recipe, you won't have the fish taste at all. It makes a wonderful dish that is quick and easy, is colorful and delicious and nutritious, to boot. What more could you want? Oh, yes, and it's budget-friendly, too. Now that's something worth thinking about. But don't just think about it, give it a try and see if you don't agree that this garlic shrimp veggie pasta is something you'll want to make again and again. As you can see in the picture above, I served it with some sourdough toast topped with pizza sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. It was a definite hit. You can vary the amount of garlic you use according to your own taste. I happen to prefer lots of garlic, but you may not want that much. Here is the recipe:

1. First, cook some pasta in salted water, then drain and put into a large oven-proof bowl. I chose the mini penne pasta because I think it's easier to eat, but any kind will do. The amount of pasta you cook will depend on how many you are feeding. 2 C. of pasta will feed 4-6 generously.

2. Next, chop up some fresh vegetables. I chose carrots, broccoli, green and red peppers, red onion and mushrooms. After chopping, there were about 3 cups of veggies in all.

3. Defrost and drain some frozen mini shrimp, about 3 cups. I put them into the collander, run warm water over them and then put them on a towel and pat them until they are dry. This is important, otherwise they will be too wet and it will be hard to get them to fry properly.

4. Next, in a large skillet heat 2-3 T. olive oil and stir-fry the veggies for 5 minutes. Then add 2 T. water, cover, lower the heat and steam for approximately 5 more minutes or until they are soft but not mushy. Remove the veggies and add them to the pasta.

5. Next, clean out the skillet then add 2 T. butter. To this add 2-4 cloves of minced fresh garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add the shrimp and cook and stir for about three or four minutes. You want to cook them long enough for the shrimp to absorb the garlic taste but not too long or they will be rubbery and over-cooked.

6. Once the shrimp and garlic are well cooked, add: