CAJUN SHRINK WITH GARLIC PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE

The simplest weeknight meal with a homemade creamy sauce that tastes better than anything you can buy in the store!

My life revolved around jarred pasta when I was a college student who lived on student loans and credit card debt. When they were on sale, I bought cases of pasta sauces – especially alfredo – to keep on hand. All I had to boil was some pasta noodles when it was time to eat. Done.

Wish I knew then how easy it was to make pasta sauce from scratch. It’s so much cheaper and tastes better. You can control what ingredients go into your dish and pronounce each ingredient.

This cream sauce is primarily made with milk. Milk contains many essential nutrients, including B vitamins, which are good for energy and muscle building, as well as vitamin A, which helps maintain a healthy immune function, and calcium and vitamin D, for bone-building. Lower-fat milk is just as nutrient-rich but with fewer calories and fat!

The addition of an 8-ounce milk glass to your meal is a delicious and easy way to boost the nutrition at dinner. Even the pickiest eaters will devour this before your very eyes. It’s hard to beat!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fettuccine
• Two tablespoons of unsalted butter
• Two cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• Milk: 1 1/2 cups or more as required
• Half a teaspoon of dried thyme
• Half a teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/4 cup of half and half*
• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated – 1/4 cup
• To taste, add Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• Fresh parsley leaves, two tablespoons

For the SHRIMP

• Peeled and deveined 1 pound medium Shrimp
• Olive oil two tablespoons
• Two cloves garlic, minced
• Cajun seasoning, two teaspoons
• To taste, add Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil baking sheets lightly or spray with nonstick spray.
• Place the shrimp in one layer on the baking sheet. Add the olive oil, cajun seasoning, and garlic. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Gently combine by gently tossing.
• Place in oven and roast until the meat is cooked, pink, and firm, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Cook pasta in a large pot with salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain well.
• Melt butter over medium heat. Stirring frequently, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). Stir in flour for about a minute until it is lightly browned.
• Whisk in the milk, oregano, and thyme. Cook while whisking continuously until the ingredients are incorporated. This should take about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and Parmesan, stirring until it is slightly thickened (about 1-2 minutes). If the mixture becomes too thick, you can add more milk if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix in the pasta and toss gently.
• Serve immediately, with the cajun shrimp garnished, if you wish, with parsley.