Spaghetti with Lemon & Olive Oil

I was SO delighted upon my arrival to San Jose to find a Whole Foods right around the corner from my new house! WIN! I had spotted this recipe on Smitten Kitchen a few weeks ago and then saw this fresh lemon pepper linguine at Whole Foods that I decided would be a perfect pasta for this dish. They also had these tequila-marinated shrimp on skewers that I grilled up quickly on the Cuisinart to top this luscious pasta with some protein. AMAZE. I did omit the heavy cream and arugula (didn't have any on hand), but this still turned out wonderful. I am LOVING lemon-carb-like sides lately... see this previous post for an irresistable lemon risotto: http://ovenphilosophy.blogspot.com/2011/02/most-perfect-meal-ever.html

Spaghetti with Lemon & Olive Oil via Smitten Kitchen:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/02/spaghetti-with-lemon-and-olive-oil-al-limone/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+smittenkitchen+%28smitten+kitchen%29

The Most Perfect Meal EVER

This is the ULTIMATE surf & turf. If you are planning on any kind of celebration feast, this is your meal! Pick your favorite dessert & wine and you are set for the ultimate feast. The flavors in this combination are undeniable. Each component is completely unique, but at the same time pairs together elegantly. Try this out for your next celebration and let me know about your response. Mine was a true crowd pleaser! Happy Valentines Day!

Lemon Risotto via Smitten Kitchen:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/06/catch-up-solstice-edition/

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic & Red Pepper via Epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Broccoli-with-Garlic-and-Red-Pepper-351031

Pancetta Wrapped Shrimp via Food Network:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/surf-and-turf-for-two-recipe/index.html

Porcini Crusted Filet Mignon with Fresh Herb Butter via Epicurious (& my previous blog entry)

http://ovenphilosophy.blogspot.com/2010/11/porcini-crusted-filet-mignon-with-fresh.html

Linguine with Leeks, Shrimp, & Arugula

I saw this cookbook at Barnes & Noble awhile ago and had to pick it up. Trader Joe's is the best, so what better than a cookbook all inclusive of ONLY TJ's items! This recipe was simple, quick to put together, light, but still filling. I've been on a pasta kick lately, I don't know what's going on with that. I try to make myself feel better by using whole wheat pasta. I'm not sure that really makes much of a difference. On a side note: the frozen, crushed garlic cubes at TJ's are probably one of the greatest, most recent kitchen inventions I've discovered. I'm hooked. I used TONS of extra arugula in this one. I even served the pasta with the arugula mixed in over a whole bed of arugula. LOVE the pasta/arugula combo. This will be a great weeknight meal!

Linguine with Leeks, Shrimp, & Arugula via the I <3 Trader Joe's Cookbook:

1 16 oz. bag linguine, cooked & drained

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

2 leeks, cleaned & thinly sliced

2 cubes frozen, crushed garlic

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

handful of arugula

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

salt & pepper to taste

In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Saute leeks over medium-high heat until tender. (About 5 minutes.) Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer 5 minutes, until sauce is slightly reduced. Add shrimp & cook 3-4 minutes until pink. Toss the leek-shrimp mixture with the cooked pasta. Add arugula & toss. Add grated parmesan & toss. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt & pepper.

Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula and Tomatoes

Again, looking for clever ways to fancy up my necessary protein intake... especially considering the necessity of the Thanksgiving detox. This one was super easy, quick, and satisfying but still light. I added 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for some heat and topped the dish off with some fresh, chopped chives. The recipe didn't really specify, but according to my standards, this was 2 generous entree portions. This would be a great after work/weeknight meal. I would definitely make again.

Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula and Tomatoes via Noble Pig:

http://noblepig.com/2010/06/15/sauteed-shrimp-with-arugula-and-tomatoes.aspx