pasta, Spring and Summer Recipes

Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Shrimp

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Oops, I did it again. Yep, I fell off the blogging map and for about three weeks this time!  It just seems like ever since we collected the keys for our new home back in the beginning of May, that time is just slipping away like sand… like the wind…like the waves…??

Wow, I’m not sure my attempt at conveying a sense of drama to you was truly effective in that last sentence and as I re-read it those words actually prompted mental images of the beach for me. How about you? Think those words might indicate a subconscious desire?! You bet. You know, I mean that the ‘dreaming about the beach’ part is probably, definitely, subconsciously true. And the ‘time slipping away like sand’ part? Wait, yes, it’s definitely true! Anyhoo… 

As I mentioned, we closed on our new home last month, but we didn’t move in right away. Well, technically we haven’t totally moved in as of today, either. In fact, I’m typing this post at the old house. I mean the present home? Ugh, it’s getting really confusing, but hopefully this week we’ll make the final transition!! Fingers crossed! (and … I must reiterate the “UGH” part here).

We didn’t pack up and split instantly as we decided it was best to let our 4th grader finish his school year out in a familiar place. We wanted him to feel secure for his end-of-the-year tests and to max-out on time with his closest buddies, all of whom he’s gone to school with daily with since kindergarten. Our new place is about 25 miles from where we’ve been these last several years, so this move is kind of a big one. It means the start of new daily routines for all of us: new workplace for me, new schools for the kids, new 20-minute commute for the hubby, new home, and new historic, little town with a gorgeous river running through it to explore! All good things, for all of us (we hope and pray!).

And then we decided to make-over some of the flooring in the new house while it was vacant for a few extra weeks. Oy. Vey. (!!) Let’s just say it didn’t go as smoothly as we hoped, but for now it is a done deal and we can finally start moving the big stuff!

Somewhere in the middle of all of this hectic stuff, I gave myself permission to indulge in pasta again. I make quite a bit of pasta for the kids because they really enjoy it, and they eat it well. I enjoy how versatile and comforting pasta is when I do eat it. For me, however, I’ve held on to the strong prejudice that eating low-carb for extended periods of time leaves with you when it comes to pasta, bread and the like. I just haven’t been able to feel good about eating it anymore, even though I still really do like it. Oh sure, I can ignore the the guilt when I accidentally inhale a huge, icing-slathered cinnamon roll (it just happens sometimes, you know), but sit down and eat a big bowl of spaghetti?? No way, that’s like dancing with the devil, my friend! Perfectly logical, right?

Well, anyway, I’ve decided to let all of that nonsense go and dabble with some good and healthy pasta dishes from time to time. I’ll just keep all things in moderation from here on out and get over the pasta-stigma thing.

I’m pretty sure I saw this recipe for the first time in a Cooking Light magazine years ago, but the original dish was made with orzo. I knew I had to taste this simple dish again and I had some orecchiette in the pantry, so I substituted it in place of the orzo. It worked out just fine and this simple supper was a huge hit with the husband. The shrimp made this meal “iffy” with the kids, but this dish is versatile and I bet if I make it again with some chicken sausage they will have a better attitude.

I hope this easy skillet supper is a hit with your crew too!

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Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Shrimp

Recipe by Marcelle at A Little Fish in the Kitchen Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

300

kcal

This is an easy and flavorful weeknight meal!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • salt and pepper

  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 1/3 cup Vidalia or another sweet onion, coarsely chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1/3 cup Percorino-Romano cheese, grated or shaved

Directions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet. Add in the one clove of garlic and cook, stirred constantly for one minute. Add shrimp to the pan and sprinkly lightly with salt and pepper. Cook shrimp until they are pink and then remove them from the pan.Β 
  • Add remaining olive oil to the skillet and add onion, remaining clove of garlic, red pepper and basil to pan. Stir for one minute. Add in the halved tomatoes and saute for about 3 minutes. Add in the cooked pasta and shrimp. Cook for another 2 minutes or until all ingredients are reheated and well-combined.Β 
  • Adjust seasonings and serve warm. Top with a generous sprinkle of cheese and enjoy!

Notes

  • Recipe as published on A Little Fish in the Kitchen at www.alittlefishinthekitchen.com. All content is owned by Marcelle G. Bolton. Please contact the author for permission to republish.

16 Comments

  1. DAVID J MYERS

    Marcelle, Thanks for stopping by at my site. It’s just a hobby for me, something that I started at the suggestion on our daughter-in-law. I helps keep my mind occupied and necessitates a bit of research…all good for an old retired guy. I have friends in Austin and family in McAllen…where one of my cousins teaches. As for your Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Shrimp, it looks good and sounds good to me. Love pasta, cherry or grape tomatoes and shrimp too…add fresh Parmesan/Romano cheese. I am a little more saucy than you are…but those tomatoes would be a good start. They are an almost daily snack item for me. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

    • Hi David!! Thank you for the visit! I appreciate it and I’m glad we connected, I’ll be checking in on your adventures!! I hope you have have a wonderful week and stay cool where you are!! Texas is frying in the sun LOL

  2. Yay for pasta! I can't eat shrimp, but I definitely like the idea of trying this with chicken sausage! it looks super tasty! :]!

  3. This pasta dish looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing at the Friday Frenzy!

  4. Thank you, Grace! It's been a big move for us!

  5. I would LOVE this recipe, but unfortunately my fiance hates both tomatoes and shrimp :(. But I guess that just means more for me πŸ™‚

  6. Well, you have your hands full and you still have time to cook and post. We all take blogging breaks. Happy summer to you. Did you know there is a premium Recipes Generator now. I shall be writing a post about it.

  7. one definitely needs a bit of pasta to handle all that you're dealing with right now! i can say from experience that i admire your decision to let your son finish his school year–i think it was a great choice! πŸ™‚

  8. Yup, I thought beach. Kind of a nice destination at the moment! Anyway, this looks wonderful — love pasta, and can never get enough. Thanks!

  9. Hi there, David! Thank you so much! I feel like a whole new world of food opened up for us now that pasta is no longer a naughty thing in our kitchen! We enjoyed this easy meal very much. And I agree, portion size is a huge part of eating well. πŸ™‚

  10. Marcelle – welcome back to the world of pasta!! I think one issue we, as Americans, have is how much pasta is "a serving?" When I was young and had a metabolism, I would eat half a box at a time. I laughed at the nutritional information that said there were eight servings in the box! Now, when Mark and I have pasta, we weigh out two ounces each and it is more than enough. It definitely stops us from overeating! And we never make enough for "leftovers" as we know ourselves way too well; we would eat it all in one sitting!

    That said, the orecchiette is beautiful and I love the simplicity of it.

    Congratulations on the new house – the kitchen looks great!

  11. Hi Angie! Yes, we found this dish very comforting! Thank you πŸ™‚

  12. Moving into a new house and still having time to cook and blog…Marcella, that's something! The pasta with shrimp and cheese does look very comforting and delicious.

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