Spaghetti with Bacon, Mushrooms, & Herbs

This dish is kind of a liar.

Oh sure, it drew my attention because it has bacon in it.  Uh, hello!  Everything is better with bacon.  Plus I wanted to play around more with mushrooms and my herb garden is exploding so making this was really no-brainer.

I was expecting a simple dish.  An easy, humble plate of pasta to serve my kids after a long day of playing and running around.

Easy? Yes.  Humble? HA!!  Since when is rich, flavorful, worthy-of-having-company-over yumminess ever humble??

Spaghetti with Bacon, Mushrooms, & Herbs
Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine
Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 20 minutes

3-6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces [NOTE: if you use 6 slices, drain off some of the bacon grease before adding the onion]
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp tomato paste
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced [NOTE: I used cremini mushrooms because I like their beefy flavor]
2-4 tbsp red wine
1 cup pasta cooking water, divided
12 ounces spaghetti
2 tbsp butter
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs [NOTE: I used basil, parsley, and a little oregano]
Grated parmesan cheese, for topping (optional)

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

The onions and garlic just MELTED into the sauce.

2.  Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the mixture is brick red, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

I love that deep red color

3.  When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. After a couple minutes, scoop out a cup of the pasta water.

4.  Splosh the wine into the skillet with the bacon and mushrooms and let the alcohol cook off a minute.  Add about 3/4 cup of the pasta water to the skillet with the sauce; stir and bring to a low simmer over medium heat.

Let it thicken a minute or two while you drain the pasta.

4.  Make sure you have about 1/4 cup pasta water left, then drain the pasta and add to the skillet along with the butter and herbs. Cook, tossing, until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the reserved pasta water to loosen, if needed. Divide among bowls and top with cheese.

My goal was about 2 tbsp parsley, 3ish tbsp basil, and a little bit of oregano.

This dish is rich. It's flavorful. It is so gloriously decadent.  I almost felt guilty that it turned out so well, tasted so fancy and fabulous, yet easily came together in under 30 minutes.  I love when supper comes together so beautifully AND quickly! 

Lemon Spaghetti

Just when I think the busiest part of summer is behind me, a new week starts.  And with that new week usually comes a fresh batch of activities, events, visits from friends, more visits to family, festival season... and the list goes on.  Oy!

Honestly, I think it's harder to keep a family well-fed during these busy summer months than the fall and winter.  We are so busy with soaking in every ounce of the good weather while we can, that food can often take a back seat.  And normally Wisconsin doesn't get too insanely hot.  Not this year though.  It. Is. HOT.

Ugh.

Anyway, when it gets this hot, the LAST thing I want to do is heat up my kitchen with my oven, or even using the stove top for too long.  Rob isn't too thrilled about firing up the grill either.  What's a Family Cook to do in this kind of situation?

Make this, that's what.

Lemon Spaghetti
Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3-2/3 cup grated Parmesan [NOTE: Use more Parmesan if you're not using another cheese in this]
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil OR 1 tsp dried basil
1 wedge of Laughing Cow Garlic-Herb cheese, optional
1 tbsp lemon zest

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  If you are using dried basil, add it now.  Set aside to let the flavors combine while you cook the pasta; you can also make this up to 8 hours ahead of time. 

Yes, you really should make this while sipping some wine.  ;)

2.  Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

3.  Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, along with the wedge of cheese, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped fresh basil, if using instead of dried.

Keep tossing the hot pasta around until it soaks up all that sauce.  Add hot pasta water if it gets too dry.

I loooooove this dish, and for so many reasons!  Oh where to begin...

• Gotta love a No-Cook sauce!  The only cooking involved is the mere minutes it takes to boil water and cook pasta; about 10-15 minutes total.
• Making the sauce in the same dish I'm serving the pasta in just makes me do a little "Less Dishes to Wash Happy Dance."
• I have an obsession with intense lemon flavors.  I find that tart flavor immensely refreshing and satisfying.
• As much as I adore fresh basil, there's no shame in using a good quality dried basil.  Using dried herbs means I could also make this any time of the year I want to.  
• Who says I have to use basil?  Thyme, rosemary, oregano...fresh or dried, whatever floats my boat that day!
• This is tasty hot or room temperature.  
• Oh the leftover options!!  Add whatever protein sounds good (roasted shrimp, grilled chicken, flaked tuna), maybe toss in a few veggies (carrots, red pepper, broccoli) and voila! A one-dish lunch or dinner!

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp

Does anyone remember that old Rice Krispy treat commercial from the early 90's?  The one where the kids and husband are yelling for the mom to finish cooking and she's reading a novel, enjoying the completed dessert.  Then she shakes out her hair, dusts flour on her face and a sprinkling of fish bowl water before taking her family the beloved treats. Clearly her implication is she slaaaaaaaaved in the kitchen for them.

I think about this commercial a lot because it's in a way applicable to my style of cooking.  Sometimes I get the impression that others see my cooking style and schedule as complicated and nearly impossible to duplicate.  That is sooooo not the case though!! I do my very best to find recipes that are easy and can quickly be thrown together in under an hour.  It is so much fun to find a recipe that sounds fancy and complicated, only to realize it calls for a few basic ingredients and comes together in 15-20 minutes.

This pasta dish is like that.

I like to use whole wheat pasta.

You may notice that I'm experimenting more with lemon flavors lately  Two reasons for that... 1) I happen to like a bright lemony flavor.  I think it makes a dish taste fresh and summery.  And 2), though this is the main reason actually, Gavin loves lemons.  He will seriously order extra lemon slices at a restaurant and eat them straight.  No sugar or anything; just lemon.  And yes, it's hysterical to hear my 3-year-old politely order a glass of ice water with sliced lemon on the side.

Hello shrimp, prepare to be roasted!

Anyway, back to cooking...  I found this recipe and thought I'd give it a shot since it combined lots of lemony flavor with a very short & basic list of ingredients, plus a fast cooking time.  Can't go wrong with that right?

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp
Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine

2 lbs frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled, & deveined
Olive oil
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
1 lb angel hair or thin spaghetti
2-3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Zest and juice of two lemons

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.


2.  Preheat oven to 400.  On a cookie sheet, toss together the shrimp with a couple tablespoons of oil, some salt and pepper.  Roast until the shrimp turns pink, about 6-8 minutes.

Look at those pink cuties!

3.  In a large bowl, add the zest and juice of two lemons with the melted butter and a tablespoon of olive oil.  Whisk to combine.  Add the hot pasta and toss to coat.  Pour in some of the pasta water if the noodles seem too dry.  Add the shrimp and serve with shredded Parmesan.

Don't have a micro plane?  Get one.  They're AWESOME

Yummy, yummy, yummy pasta and shrimp

I reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaally liked this dish.  It was so easy to make and I liked that bright, intense lemon flavor.  I liked the freshness of it, the lightness of it.  Even Rob enjoyed it!  Gavin.....well, he took a bit more convincing.  He ate the pasta right away.  But after pushing the lonely shrimp I gave him around his plate for an hour (not kidding, an entire hour), he finally ate it and declared "I like it! Buuuut, it's kinda weird."  *sigh*  Oh well, I guess that's a 3-year-old for you.  At least he ate it and I think I might have a shot of getting him to eat more shrimp in the future.  And honestly, that's all I'm looking for at this point.