Category: Pasta Dishes

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

I’ve seen this on the menu at several restaurants, all slightly different – grilled shrimp, fried shrimp, broiled shrimp, for example – but, the one thing that seems to stay the same is the bang bang sauce.

I knew that the bang bang sauce had mayonnaise (I know that seems odd for pasta, but trust me, it’s good!), sweet chili sauce and sriarcha. I decided to add a little garlic, red pepper flakes and a little bit of lime juice to mine.

Another thing that I’ve seen varied is the type of pasta. I chose to add linguine. To me – spaghetti is too thin to really ‘hold’ the sauce and short pastas just don’t seem ‘right’ to me. So linguine it was!

Since I was cooking just for myself (probably for my lunch and my dinner), I decided to make this recipe a ‘for two’ (or 1 really hungry person!) recipe. So, all of my ingredients are sized accordingly. I could have made a larger dish, but I don’t love reheating shrimp.

I use frozen shrimp, so I took out enough shrimp for the dish and defrosted them in cold water.

While the shrimp were defrosting, I started my pasta. I added about 1/2 of a full box of linguine to well salted, boiling water.

While the pasta was cooking, I put together my bang bang sauce – I’m not going to lie – I could have eaten this by the spoon! It’s GOOD! As noted above, I used mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, red pepper flakes, garlic and a bit of lime juice.

And, I just whisked it all together and set it aside.

After my shrimp were thawed, I sauteed them in a hot pan with 1/2 tbsp of butter.

Just before putting them in the pan, I seasoned them with a little bit of salt and pepper (I didn’t want to use any seasonings that would compete with the bang bang sauce).

It doesn’t take long to cook shrimp, so don’t walk away!

By the time my sauce was done and my shrimp were cooked, my pasta was done. I have a pasta pot, with the pasta insert, which makes it so easy when you’re ready to toss pasta into a pan with the sauce.

I just drained the pasta and poured it into the skillet with the shrimp. Then I added in the bang bang sauce (in hind sight, I probably would have added the bang bang sauce to the shrimp first).

With tongs, I just stirred everything through.

Because I like spice, I added a few more red pepper flakes and sriracha, before eating!

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta (for 2)

1/2 box linguine
12-15 shrimp (can use frozen – defrost prior to cooking)
1/2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1/2 – 1 tsp sriracha (I used a little more than that)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp lime juice
Red pepper flakes, to taste

  • Cook pasta, per directions on box
  • Salt and pepper your shrimp, and then saute in butter, in a large skillet (you’re going to add your pasta into the skillet, later)
  • To make sauce, mix all ingredients together in a bowl
  • Once your pasta and shrimp are done, add pasta and bang bang sauce to the skillet and mix through
by Michelle

Easy Mac and Cheese for 2

I’m not ashamed to admit that I love regular old boxed mac and cheese. But, sometimes, I want something a little creamier. I was home alone, so I needed to make something for just me. I decided that mac and cheese was just the thing! This is so simple that I am not even going to write it up as a ‘recipe’ – just give you directions as I go.

3 simple ingredients: Pasta (any kind you want, I chose penne and cooked about 1/2 the box), milk (1/4 cup) and Velveeta cheese (about 6 oz).

I just boiled my pasta.

And cut the cheese into squares.

When the pasta was done, I drained it and returned it to the pot. I also reduced the heat to low. I added in the milk and cheese and stirred until all the cheese was melted.

Add salt and pepper, if you like. These measurements makes enough for 2 servings.

by Michelle

Pasta Carbonara for One

I’ve had pasta carbonara in restaurants many times, but had never tried my hand at making it until now. Since I was making it for one, I just tried to figure out the measurements – and I learned a few things in doing so.

Pasta Carbonara has very simple ingredients – pasta, egg, parmesan cheese and pancetta (or bacon – and that’s what I used, because that is all I had). I also added a little bit of salt (not much, as the bacon is salty) and pepper.

I started by chopping 2 pieces of thick cut bacon into small pieces.

Then fry the bacon in a pan.

First lesson learned: Don’t try to fry bacon, when you’re home alone with an adventurous puppy – I got my bacon a little more crisp than I intended to (and have no photographic evidence of frying it) – thanks to Ollie. This is Ollie (in lieu of a picture of the bacon frying).

After the bacon is done, remove it from the pan (keep the bacon grease!!). I quickly prepped the egg and cheese mixture at this point.

Second lesson learned: Despite the fact that I love parmesan cheese, don’t use as much as you think you want. I used a little under 2/3 cup of cheese – I think I needed probably about 1/2 of that to get a shinier, smoother sauce (and I could have added more parm when serving).

Third lesson learned: I think that this recipe might work better with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I only had the pre-grated (not powder, but pre-grated) kind.

When my pasta was done, I was sure to reserve a little bit of the water. Then I threw the pasta into the pan with the bacon grease and stirred through. I turned off the heat and added in the egg and parmesan mixture and continuously stirred it, to ensure that the egg didn’t scramble. I used a little of the pasta water to thin it out, as needed. Then I added the bacon back in, and mixed through.

I served the pasta with a little bit of fresh basil.

It was really good – however, I think that it will be even better – next time – when I give consideration to the lessons that I learned. The pasta carbonara that I’ve had, and loved, in the past was much smoother. I think that using less cheese would do the trick here.

Since this was so simple (and I plan to try it again to get it closer to what I’ve had before, I’m not going to write it up as a ‘recipe’, per se). I will try to do that when I’ve had a chance to come back to it! Hopefully, it will be during a time that I will be cooking for more than just me!

by Michelle

Easy Chili Mac

When I was a little girl, I remember having goulash – and this recipe reminds me of that. While this recipe is not the same as the goulash I ate as a child, it is one that I know we’ll make a lot – as it a comforting, filling and easy recipe.

The recipe contains ground beef, tomatoes, onion, kidney beans, noodles, cheese and seasonings. What could be more comforting than that?

I started by chopping an onion and then cooking it, with some garlic and olive oil, in a large dutch oven.

After the onions and garlic sauteed for about 5 minutes, I added in the ground beef and cooked until it was browned. I added in the seasonings and stirred through.

Once the beef was done, I added in the canned ingredients – tomatoes, tomato paste and kidney beans and stirred through. I added in the beef stock and brought the pot up to a boil.

After a boil was achieved, I lowered the heat to simmer and added in the pasta. I allowed the pasta to cook for approximately 13 minutes (just cook until the pasta is done, refer to the box for cooking times).

While the pasta was cooking, I shredded approximately 1 1/2 cups of cheese. I used moneterey jack cheese, but cheddar would be good too!

Once the pasta is done, you’ll want to add in the cheese and stir through. You can add more cheese, when serving, if you like!

Easy Chili Mac

1 lb lean ground beef
1 1/2 onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 16 oz box elbow macaroni pasta
1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can rotel tomatoes with chilis
1 can dark red kidney beans (drained)
3 cups beef stock
1/2 tbsp chili powder
3/4 tbsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
1 tsp olive oil

  • Put olive oil in hot dutch oven (or large pot)
  • Add in garlic and onions and saute for about 5 minutes
  • Add ground beef to pot and cook, until browned
  • Add in seasonings and mix through
  • Add in tomatoes, tomato sauce and kidney beans, bring pot to a boil
  • Reduce heat and add in the box of pasta
  • Cook until pasta is done (around 13-15 minutes should be sufficient)
  • Just before serving, stir in the grated cheese
by Michelle

Easy Salmon and Pasta for One

One night last week, I found myself home alone – needing only to cook for one. Of course, for me, this means pasta 90% of the time. What can I say? I love pasta – so easy (and super easy to cook for 1)!

I had some salmon fillets in the freezer that I thought would work well (single serve and easy to cook in the oven). You could certainly use any salmon fillet – but, I used these by Gorton’s, since I had them on hand.

While the salmon was cooking in the oven, I was deciding what I would do with the pasta. I had some cherry tomatoes and spinach. And, lemon was an obvious addition, given that I was eating salmon.

I halved the tomatoes and chopped the spinach (I didn’t have baby spinach) and removed any stems.

Both were put in a hot skillet, with a little bit of avocado oil, salt and pepper. Once the spinach was wilted and the tomatoes were warmed through, I added the juice of 1/2 a lemon.

I dished up a serving of cooked spaghetti, added the cooked salmon and topped with the veggies.

A quick and easy (and delicious) meal for one!

Easy Salmon and Pasta for One

Cooked salmon fillet (use fillet of choice, I used a bake in the oven Gorton’s fillet)
Single serving of cooked spaghetti
Handful of fresh spinach, chopped
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Avocado oil spray

  • Cook salmon, per package and set aside
  • Cook a single serving of pasta, set aside
  • Chop spinach and halve tomatoes
  • In hot skillet, with avocado oil, wilt spinach and warm tomatoes through
  • Add juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • Plate spaghetti, top with salmon filet and add the vegetables on top

by Michelle