Angel Hair Shrimp Pasta in a Cream & Spinach Sauce and 6 Cheese GarlicBread

This post should have been written last night. However, after getting home late from work and the grocery store, there was no time to post before "Scandal." Hey, gotta have priorities!

Watching TV is one of my favorite pastimes, EASILY! I have been a proud watcher of "Scandal" since its first season.  Whenever I have a good show that I enjoy, I love to have a good meal to accompany it. Tonight I made dinner for two of my Spelman sisters, one of their mothers  and myself.  The reviews were two thumbs up all around! I hope you enjoy it!


Ingredients:

• 1 pound medium shrimp deveined
• heavy whipping cream
• smoked gouda
• 4 cheese Italian shredded (mozzarella, smoked provolone, asiago, romano cheese)
• 3 cheese blend shredded 
• garlic cloves
• whole grain angel hair
• fresh spinach
• extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
• black pepper
• crushed red pepper
• old bay
• salt
• basil
• slap ya mama (if you have it)
• French loaf

**Note: 1. Make sure you purchase your shrimp fresh, not frozen. This not only saves time on thawing, but also enhances the flavor of your meal. 2. Clean up as you go! Once you're finished with your meal, you don't want to worry about cleaning the kitchen completely!**

The steps are in order of preparation. The longer the sauce cooks, the more flavorful it will be. The pasta doesn't take long to cook, so it will be the last step. Let's get started!

Cream & Spinach Sauce

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup smoked gouda
• 1 cup 4 cheese Italian blend
• 2 hearty handfuls of fresh spinach 
• 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• a few pinches, like 2, of salt

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook on low heat. Occasionally stir so that the cheese won't become lumpy. While the sauce is thickening, you can begin on the shrimp.

Shrimp (for white sauce pasta)

After removing the legs and tails from the shrimp, in a mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, 2 tbsp of evoo, old bay seasoning, and slap ya mama. Mix with your hands until all shrimp are covered with seasoning. Depending on the size of your bowl, you may have to do a second coating but please do so at your own discretion. 

In a large skillet, lightly grease with evoo and heat on medium. Once heated, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until done. Once done, cover with a top to hold the heat. 

6 Cheese Garlic Bread

• loaf of French bread
• garlic olive oil (I will do a separate post on how to make your own garlic olive oil)
• smoked gouda
• 4 cheese Italian shredded
• sharp cheddar shredded

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Slice your loaf into 1/4 inch equals.  In a square baking pan, spray a non-stick spray on the bottom of the pan. Then, drizzle garlic olive oil on each slice. DO NOT DROWN YOUR SLICES IN OIL! Grate smoked gouda, then add equal parts of the 4 cheese Italian and sharp cheddar blends on to each slice. Once the oven is at the appropriate temperature, place into the oven and cook until the cheese is melted.

Pasta

In a large pot, add water and 2tbsp of evoo. EVOO or any other oil is added to prevent the pasta from sticking while cooking. Once the water is boiling, add your pasta. The pasta only takes 5 minutes to cook so it is important to watch it or set a timer. Once the pasta is done, drain the water off and get ready to plate your food!

Let's put it together!

• Place pasta in bowl.
• Top with cream & spinach sauce.
• Add shrimp.
• Remove cheesy garlic bread from oven & place on plate.
• DIG IN!