Guest Post – Shrimp Rotini

Good Monday morning, everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I was loving the cooler fall-like weather – this is definitely my favourite time of the year. I guess I was enjoying myself so much that I’m late posting this week’s One Hungry Dude recipe. Hope you’ll forgive me! Enjoy!

Admittedly, I swoon at television advertising at times. So while watching a commercial for Red Lobster the other day, I got an immediate craving for shrimp. We're on a tight budget right now, so eating out is a rarity. But luckily, with a few staple items from the freezer and pantry, I made this delicious dinner in under 45 minutes.

Ingredients
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 Slices Bacon, sliced
• 1 Onion, halved then thinly sliced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, diced
• 1 Cayenne Pepper, chopped
• 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 Bay Leaf
• A Few Sprigs of Fresh Basil, chopped
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Splash of Vegetable Broth
• 4 Cups Rotini
• 12 to 16 Cooked Shrimp
• Sprinkle of Parmesan
• About 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
• Squirt of Lemon Juice
• Sprinkle of Dried Parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high. Add the bacon, cooking until brown. Once cooked, remove the bacon, and set aside on a paper towel. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the onions, cooking for about three to four minutes, then add the garlic, cayenne, thyme, bay leaf, basil, salt and pepper. Cook until the onion begins to soften and brown, then add the vegetable broth and reduce the heat by about half.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, bring salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. About five minutes before the pasta is ready to be drained, add the shrimp and bacon to the skillet. Remove the bay leaf. Stir the mixture once or twice. Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet, along with the parmesan, and mix together. Place the cheddar on top. Once the cheddar melts, place the pasta on plates, squirt a bit of lemon juice on top, and garnish with parsley.

This recipe yields about four servings.