Shrimp Risotto and Pesto

With Lent in full swing I have to think outside the box when it comes to the kitchen. Though I don't eat beef or pork, chicken and turkey - the staples of my life - are still meat.

Time to scour the Internet for Friday-friendly meals. Quite certain I found a winner.

Not only is this dish light and tasty, it is quick and easy.

Please note, in order to avoid an unnecessary trip to the grocery store, I used items I had in my pantry, and tweaked the recipe to fit what I already had on hand.

Pesto Shrimp Pasta

1 pound medium or large raw shrimp, cleaned, deveined, and tails off
8 ounces risotto
1 pound of asparagus (the trick to getting the "good" part of asparagus - the stuff that doesn't taste woody - is bending the raw asparagus until it snaps, keep the end with the tips, dispose of the other end)
1 packet of pesto sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (optional)
Parmesan cheese, for garnishing
1/4 cup and 1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook risotto in salt water, according to package instructions.
With four minutes of cook time left on the risotto, add asparagus to pasta.
Drain pasta and asparagus.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, add shrimp, season well with salt and pepper; cook until shrimp begin to curl. Remove from heat.
Add garlic (optional) to pesto mix and cook according to package instructions.
Mix risotto, asparagus, shrimp, and pesto together. Add more pesto if necessary.
Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.

I simplified the heck out of this recipe, and loved every bite. If you're looking for the "extended" version be sure to check out the source link.


Enjoy!


Source: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com