I’ve recently been finding new meals to make, other than my Manicotti, which I am famous for. I’ve decided I need to spend more time cooking in the kitchen and less time spending money eating out! My plan this year is to focus more on budgeting my money, and cooking at home is definitely beneficial to being successful with that plan. This week I had some friends over for dinner. One of my friends is Pescatarian. Trying to find something to make that would suit her lifestyle was overwhelming, to say the least! The pressure was on! I’m quite the meat and poultry eater, so to come up with a dish that didn’t contain either was hard. Definitely harder than I thought it would be. So what do people in this generation do when they are in a bind and can’t be creative on their own? They turn to Pinterest! And that’s exactly what I did!
I found a recipe for Shrimp Pesto Pasta. It was a very simple recipe, but I was doubtful because this is a dish I had never made before. I am quite the perfectionist, so I had to get it right! Especially because I wasn’t the only one eating it; I had people to impress! The recipe I found on Pinterest came from another blogger (Kim Lee). She made the instructions very easy to follow and she even added her own tidbits on her experience making the dish. That certainly put me at ease. And since the dish turned out to be such a success, I wanted to share it on my blog! Try it out for yourself and let me know how it turns out. Enjoy the recipe and good luck!
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
2 pounds medium-sized shrimp…peeled and deveined
1 (6.35 oz.) jar basil pesto
1 (14.5 oz.) box Farfalle pasta
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts in water, chopped
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers in water, diced
1 (6 oz.) container crumbled feta
Optional Garnish: fresh chopped parsley
Instructions:
Combine shrimp and 1/2 jar of basil pesto in a large marinating bag or bowl.
Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain.
While pasta is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook shrimp for 2 mins, then flip to cook shrimp on other side for another 2 mins. While shrimp and pasta are cooking, chop and dice the artichoke hearts and the red peppers.
Stir together cooked pasta, shrimp, artichoke hearts and red peppers in large mixing bowl. Add the remaining basil pesto. Gradually stir in feta and garnish with parsley, if you so desire.
Reminder: do not over cook the shrimp. The two pounds of shrimp was a bit much for the size of my skillet, so you may have to cook two separate batches.
The cook time was quick and the clean-up was simple. I paired my pasta with a chopped salad and Texas Toast. It was a divine and delicious meal and my Pescatarian friend was pleased. She even went back for seconds!
Bon Appetit!
XOXO,
TJ