Shrimp Scampi

 My relationship with Martha is a little love and a little hate.  I want to love everything about her, I really do.  I just get the feeling she doesn't think I am good enough for her.  I just get the feeling that if she were to have a conversation with me, she would just look at me like I was a speck of dirt on her couch or something.  I can't figure out how someone who has been to prison can make me feel like that.  She has bounced right back though, don't you think?

I have a few of her cookbooks and have been cooking out of one of them in particular for the past week.  That has also been a love/hate situation.  So far I have cooked 4 recipes and only loved one of them.  I love it so much though, I think it might make up for the other 3 disappointments.  (which I won't be sharing. What's the point, it's not like you will want to cook it after I tell you it's lame.)  This dish wasn't originally served with noddles.  I added that little touch all by myself; as well as another little thing or two.  

I saw this dish in the book and decided I might want to make it someday.  Then, when I went to the store, I saw a bag of frozen shrimp and it seemed to be about the same price as the bag of frozen chicken I was buying.  I left the store with my chicken and my shrimp, wondering why we don't have shrimp more often.  It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had duped myself.  I can make 2-3 meals out of the bag of chicken and for the same price, the shrimp would yield one meal.  Ooops.  Good thing it was delicious.  I think we can splurge a little on a special occasion here and there.  Maybe some coupon clipping or sale shopping and we can eat it a little more than that.  Eventually I might just throw the budget completely out the window and eat this every night.  It's still cheaper than eating out, right?  

Not only was it way good, it was also pretty darn easy to make.  I realized when I started to make the recipe that I might have to devein these little buggers (gag noise).  After looking at the bag, I realized I had bought exactly the right thing; peeled, deveined and tail-on.  I never accidentally do the right thing!  Yay, me!  The only thing I might do differently is increase all ingredients except for the shrimp and noddles by one half.  I would have liked a little more sauce on our noddles (I will put an * by all the things I would increase next time).  If you aren't serving it with noddles, you don't have to worry about that. The crushed red pepper just gives it a slight amount of heat that I loved, and I am a sissy; so don't worry, it's not too much.  

You should make this. :)

Shrimp Scampi
adapted from: Martha Stewart Living Annual Recipes 2004
8 oz pasta (I used angel hair)
*2 T olive oil  (3T)
*4 cloves minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on (thawed if frozen)
*2 T chopped, fresh parsley (3T)
*1/2 tsp marjoram (3/4 tsp)
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (if you like the heat, you could add a little more)
*1/2 cup white cooking wine (3/4 cup)
*2 T butter (3T)
salt/pepper
Lemon wedges to serve

Heat 3 quarts of water in large pot to boiling.  Once water starts to boil, add pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain and rinse lightly.  Heat another pan with olive oil over med heat.  Add garlic and cook, stirring until softened but not browned, about 1-2 minutes.  Add shrimp, parsley, marjoram and red pepper flakes;

Cook stirring frequently until shrimp are bright pink and opaque, about 2 minutes.  Carefully add wine and raise heat to med-high and simmer 1-2 minutes.  Add butter and stir to coat shrimp.  Season, lightly, with salt and pepper, add noodles and toss to coat and heat noodles.  Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Makes about 4-6 servings.