Butter Garlic Pasta

Butter Garlic Pasta is my go-to recipe when I have no idea what to make for dinner.  I tend to be the kind of Mom that makes do with what is in the fridge and freezer if all else fails.  My son, A. loves broccoli.  Go figure.  A 4 year old that's loved broccoli since he tasted it is probably unheard of.  Because of this, I generally have an ample supply of it in my freezer.  Shrimp is also a staple in my house because my hubby loves it and anything with shrimp always tastes good.

This recipe came together because of the lack of ingredients I had in my house one day.  It turned out to be one of my favorite things to make when I have no clue what to make and best of all, I get ALL my kids to eat their veggies because they scarf down the broccoli as if it were candy.

Butter Garlic Pasta
Spaghetti or  any kind of pasta
1-1 1/2 cups Broccoli (cut and blanched)
1/2 - 1 cup Shrimp (peeled, deveined)
1-2 tbsp Garlic (minced)
2-3 tbsp Butter
Salt
1-2 tsp Parsley

I don't have exact measurements for this recipe as I make it to taste each time.  Cook the pasta as instructed.  Blanch the broccoli (bring salted water to a boil, add broccoli for a few minutes and remove and soak in ice water to stop the cooking).  Saute the shrimp with 1 tsp butter, 1 tsp garlic, and dash of salt until cooked. 

After draining the pasta, on medium heat, add a couple of tablespoons of butter, chopped parsley (can be dried parsley), a tbsp of minced garlic, and broccoli.  Season with salt.  I keep tasting the pasta until it is correctly seasoned.  Once it is seasoned and the butter is melted, add the shrimp and serve.  

This recipe allows you to substitute  any vegetable you want.  I've added corn and carrots before as well as used sausage instead of shrimp.  Even though the possibilities are endless, our favorite combo in this house is shrimp and broccoli.

YUM-O