Last Night's Dinner

Since I'm currently not eating meat, I've been forced to try out new recipes that don't involve meat. Obviously. A few weeks back I saw a recipe on How Sweet It Is for Spicy Parmesan Shrimp Skillet and last night I decided to go for it. If you don't read Jessica's blog, you should (these things are fun and fun is good). Sorry. I couldn't resist. Must be the school teacher in me. ANYWHO, back to the point. Jessica's blog is awesome. It's on my iGoogle homepage and I read it everyday. Not only does she post ridiculously delicious recipes, she's also hilarious. I love reading her posts for the content and the witty banter.

So. I've never cooked shrimp before. I was terrified. But, for my first time, I think the shrimp turned out just fine. They may have been a little undercooked but the shrimp tasted really good! Such is life when you're learning to cook, I guess. Plus, I don't have a husband currently (damn you, tax season) so it was only me tasting the shrimp.

 
I really hate peeling shrimp. Unless I'm eating it while sitting on a dock bar drinking beer. And its July.
It's not fun standing in a kitchen in February with nary an alcoholic beverage in sight.

    

     

       

I skipped taking pictures of the actual cooking of the shrimp and pasta because, well, I was having a panic attack about overcooking the shrimp. So the next picture you get it is the finished product. If you want to see ridiculously good food photographs head on over to Jessica's blog and check out her post on this recipe.  I have a fancy pants camera but have not sat down to learn how to use it. You get clear pictures but they still aren't very good. Soon, perhaps over spring break,  I WILL sit down and learn how to use the damn thing.

      

All in all, this recipe is really, really tasty and I urge you to try it! The flavor is perfect. It's spicy but not too spicy. It is definitely being added to my rotation. I didn't alter anything in this recipe because that would be even more terrifying than cooking shrimp for the first time.  I've posted the recipe just as it was written.

Spicy Parmesan Shrimp Skillet
How Sweet Eats

{serves 2-4}

1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne

In a bowl, whisk olive oil, parmesan, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper flakes together. Add shrimp to a large ziplock bag, pour marinade over top, then seal bag and shake to coat. Place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes… or 2-4 hours… or overnight if desired!

When ready to eat, bring water to boil in a large pot and cook penne according to directions. While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and marinade (just dump the entire contents of the bag into the skillet), then cook shrimp until pink – about 2 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook! As soon as shrimp is finished, add penne into the skillet and toss to coat completely. Top with additional parmesan cheese and sliced green onions, then serve.

{Yeah, I just realized I forgot both the green onions and the additional parmesan}