Friday, October 25, 2013

"Zesty Shrimp Pasta" For "World Pasta Day" As We End The Month Of October

As October is coming to an end, for another year, I want to end the month with a pasta recipe. If you remember October is Pasta Month and today is “World Pasta Day.” One of my blogger friends Louise, from "Months of Edible Celebrations" is having a Pasta Party today! I am sure she won’t mind some extra guests coming to see the delicious dishes that she is presenting at her Pasta Party. Don’t get too stuffed, when you return to me, I also have that mouth watering pasta recipe I promised, called “Zesty Shrimp Pasta”. 

I have another blogger friend, Catherine, from "Living The Gourmet" that I need to say a big “Thank you”! She had a give away on one of her posts, and I won the give away! A beautiful book called, “Bless This Food”. Sharing food is the most universal cultural experience connecting people to one another. Expressing thanks for food was the world's first act of worship and is common to every known society. Saying grace before meals is a wonderful family tradition to observe as it acknowledges bounty and our daily food as gifts from the divine. Bless This Food gathers 160 timeless mealtime blessings. This book will come in handy for my family, as the holidays are approaching. 

I know you are waiting for that recipe I promised, but I just wanted to touch on a topic that I thought may be a very important part of your kitchen, and that would be your pantry or the Italian pantry! A well-stocked pantry makes whipping up a delicious well-balanced Italian meal a snap. Countless dishes can be made from ingredients on hand, the options are limitless. Most major grocery stores carry many items imported from Italy; other sources for those main ingredients would be Italian specialty stores in your area. If your grocery store does not carry your item, you can ask a manager if they might be able to order your ingredient for you. By stocking your kitchens with a few basic ingredients, you will be ready to prepare many Italian recipes. Premium ingredients are crucial to Italian cooking. The better your tomatoes, olive oils, and cheeses are the better your dishes will be. The Italian table is the heart of the family, a celebration that comes from making and eating a delicious meal. If you use the freshest ingredients and what is in season, you will find that you can create the most flavorful dishes. 

In my family as in most Italian kitchens, you will find a large amount if not all of the following items in the pantry. These ingredients are essential to creating a traditional Italian meal. Check, if your pantry is stocked with any of these items, if not it is time to go shopping….

Cans of tomatoes-whole & crushed, tomato paste, beans-dried or canned, olives, mushrooms, and anchovies. Flour, quick rise yeast, rice-Arborio, sea salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Canola oil, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, broths/stocks, sun dried tomatoes, nuts, figs, granulated and confectioner’s sugar.

Jars of dried Italian spices, black pepper, red pepper, Vinegar-red, white and balsamic, red & white wine for cooking, (always buy a wine that you would drink) dried pastas, Capers, Espresso coffee, pure extract, raisins, and honey.

Refrigerator items would include; sausages & salamies, pepperoni, pancetta, Proscuitto, parmesan & mozzarella cheese, grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, eggplants, escarole, broccoli rabe, spinach, and Swiss chard.  

Fresh items should include; garlic, parsley, basil, mint leaves, onions, peppers,  Zucchini, tomatoes, lemons, breads, fruits of all kinds: pomegranates, oranges, etc. 

Remember there are so many additional pantry items that you can stock, the list is endless, but with this starter list you will be able to begin cooking the Italian way. All you have to do is add some of these ingredients, and you will be all set to prepare an authentic Italian meal that will impress your family. My recipe for this week is called “Zesty Shrimp Pasta” which is incredible. The combination of all of these Italian ingredients not only makes this dish very tasty, but the aromas fill your home with love. So try this delicious pasta recipe for your family, especially that your pantry is filled with these mouth watering ingredients. Happy Cooking! 

Zesty Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Linguine, uncooked 
3/4 cup prepared Good Seasons Zesty Italian Dressing Mix (divided) 
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 
1 large Onion, thinly sliced 
1 green pepper sliced
1 red pepper sliced
1 lb. uncooked cleaned large shrimp 
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 
1/4 cup Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on the package meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup dressing in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir in mushrooms, onions, red and green pepper, and cook 3 min or until onions are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp, and parsley, then stir. Cook 2 min or until shrimp is pink, and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Now drain the pasta; return to pot. Add shrimp mixture and remaining dressing; toss lightly. Sprinkle with cheese. Total time 25 min Prep 10 minutes. Servings is for 6. 

Till Next Time…………….

Copyright © 2013 “Family Plus Food Equals Love” All Rights Reserved.

11 comments:

  1. Hi Dottie!
    Congratulations on winning that very special book. I just know it's going to come in handy for the holidays.

    Those are some great tips! I can honestly say my Italian pantry is stocked especially at this time of the year.

    I'm so glad you enjoyed all the deliciousness on World Pasta Day. It was such fun! Your Manicotti looks delicious as does this Zesty Shrimp Pasta!

    Mation bought Cod for dinner so that's what I'll be preparing. Of course there will be a side of pasta, lol...

    Thank you so much for participating in the Pasta Party. Hopefully this will be your beginning to join more events such as this. And, of course, thank you so much for sharing this post with us today. Have a GREAT weekend....

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  2. Dear Dottie,
    You are so right about using good quality ingredients in cooking. It is also so important to use seasonal whenever possible as fruit and veg will be at their best and cheaper too!
    In the UK I can find almost all Italian ingredients although I usually buy Parmesan cheese in Italy and freeze it. It costs too much in the UK and I use lots. This year I brought some fresh beans and frozen them ready for my winter soups! I cannot find them in the UK.
    The pasta you made here is delicious and well presented too!
    Have a nice weekend!
    Alida XX

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  3. Hi Louise,
    Thanks for reading my blog, and for your kind words. I love the book, that I received from Catherine. I have already picked a few I really like for the holidays. I know it is so important that you use the freshest ingredients as well as the seasonal foods. Everything tastes better with fresh. I enjoyed your Pasta party today. It was fun to see all of the entries and they all look so delicious! I learned how these virtual parties work now. The Zesty Shrimp Pasta dish is really easy, and you can substitute so many other ingredients. Cod fish is really good. Marion shopped very well. Hope she is doing ok. I am so grateful that I have made friends with you and the other women. It gives me the opportunity to learn so much. Hope that you have a wonderful weekend! Thanks and I am sure I will too!
    Blessings, Dottie :)

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  4. Dear Alida,
    Thanks for reading my blog today and your thoughtful words. My mom taught me that the only way to cook good is with the best, freshest, and seasonal foods that you can find. And you are right, they are cheaper as well. That is great that you are able to find most of the foods in the UK. Italy is a great place to purchase the Parmesan cheese and the green beans. It is so funny when you say that you went shopping for cheese in Italy. It sounds like when we here in the states, go to New Jersey or Pennsylvania. But it sounds strange to us to hear you say you went to Italy. I do hope that you try the Zesty Shrimp Pasta. It is very simple, easy, and soooo goood!
    Have a great weekend, Blessings, Dottie :)x

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  5. Hi Dottie ,
    Congrats on the winning . Also being Italian your post hit the nail on the head , it's not hard to keep a well stocked pantry and meals can be whipped up in a jiffy .
    I enjoyed the Pasta Party , it's always nice to meet and make more friends .
    Thanks for sharing :)

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  6. Hi Nee,
    Thanks Nee, for reading my blog and your thoughts. The book from Catherine is wonderful. I really am enjoying the blessings. When I was growing up, family, and friends would just stop in, and my mom would always have enough food in her pantry to feed an army. She taught me to make sure my pantry was stocked with the freshest and in season foods. Yes, Louise's Pasta Party was fun. I enjoyed seeing, and meeting all the other entries. Everything looked so delicious, you almost wish it was real. Hope that you enjoy your weekend, Blessings, Dottie :)

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  7. Dear Dottie, I have just about all the items!
    The shrimp sounds wonderful. A great way to celebrate Pasta Day.
    Blessings dear. Catherine xo

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  8. Dear Catherine, Thanks for stopping by. I do hope that you do try this recipe, it really is so yummy. What is good about this is that you can add and subtract what you like or don't like. It is very versatile. Enjoy! Blessings, Dottie :)

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  9. Dear Dottie, I decided to host another Giveaway, please come and join for the Cookie Book.
    Blessings, Catherine xo

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  10. Dear Catherine, Thanks for the reminder! I had forgotten. I just entered on your post. Your giveaways are always fun. Love your recipes, they are spectacular! Dottie Blessings :)

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  11. Actual pasta names v/s what we call them in our head. Go on, order some pasta @ zaykedaar.com

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