With spring around the corner, it is time to try some lighter recipes. One of my favorite recipes that I fall back on many times throughout the year is the Garlic Shrimp with Bowtie Pasta. Children and adults like this recipe, and the dish is quick to fix when you are in a time crunch.

The dish cooks very fast, so be sure and measure out your ingredients ahead of time. You can use whatever pasta you have on hand that you like. I used Farfalle Tricollore pasta for this recipe to add creativity and add flavor to the recipe. This pasta is shaped like bowties and there were three colors of bowties, green and two shades of a pinkish red color. The green bowties have spinach added and the pinkish red bowties have tomato concentrate added. The spinach and tomato concentrate were really good with the recipe. Give the Farfalle Tricollore a try; I think you will enjoy the flavors the pasta brings to this dish as well as other dishes with delicate sauces.

Ingredients

1 lb medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, and tails removed
1 lb bowtie pasta (Farfalle Tricollore) or pasta of your choice
1/4 cup butter
6 -8 garlic cloves minced or 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 –1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon tarragon
2 teaspoons Italian spaghetti seasoning
2 teaspoons oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Cook until tender. When the pasta is tender, carefully scoop out two cups of pasta water and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, wash the shrimp. Devein the shrimp and remove the tails. If the shrimp is frozen, defrost before using.

Melt butter in medium sized skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and lightly brown.

Add the shrimp.Cook until lightly pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet like a Farberware Classic 12-Inch Fry Pan with Lid and Helper Handle . Add olive oil and all of the spices.

Add 1/2 cup of pasta water.  Stir gently.  Add more pasta water if the mixture is too dry. Cook 5 minutes.

Return the shrimp to the skillet.  Add the Parmesan cheese to the skillet. When the shrimp and pasta mixture is hot, remove from skillet and serve.

Tip:
If you are using frozen shrimp, place the shrimp in a small bowl with cold water. When shrimp is defrosted, gently pull the tails off the shrimp.
Try substituting bite-sized defrosted chicken in the recipe instead of shrimp.
For a different flavor, add a 14-ounce can of drained diced tomatoes.
Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit the amount of hot spices your family enjoys.

Enjoy!