Recipe of the Week; BIRTHDAY PENNE

I had the most scrumptious penne dish for my birthday this past June. It didn't come from any restaurant, and it wasn't made especially for me by my husband (who is an excellent cook, by the way!) because as usual he was working well into the evening.

Craving something a little more exciting than an every day weeknight meal, I left work early and stopped by the supermarket for inspiration. Just browsing the isles is all it takes to for me to come up with an idea. I decided pasta was in order, penne in particular as it's my favorite. This is what I literally threw together, and it worked out deliciously! It made a ton of food, so much that I ended up freezing half of it. Of course, you could always just cut the recipe in half. Also, it is important to note that the butter and olive oil measurements are only suggestions. You could go lighter or heavier, depending on your preference.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup butter

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb. box penne

1 lb. frozen precooked shrimp

1 lb. Polish sausage, sliced into rings about 1/4-inch thick

1 bag frozen vegetables (the bag I chose included snap peas, broccoli, mixed peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, carrots and cauliflower)

1 can chicken stock

1 lemon, for juice OR about 2 teaspoons lemon concentrate (less or more, according to your preference)

shredded Parmesan chesse

handful fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried oregano to taste

Place frozen in shrimp in large bowl of cold water to thaw. It only takes a few minutes. Drain in colander and set aside.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil, add penne and cook to al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving at least 1 cup of the hot water.

While penne is boiling, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. (You will be adding everything to this pan, so make sure it's a big one!)

Add sliced sausage, onion and garlic, saute for a few minutes. Add frozen vegetables, 3/4 can of the chicken stock, the juice of the lemon, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Put a lid on skillet to allow vegetables to thaw. After the vegetables are thawed, add drained penne and shrimp.* You can add more butter or olive oil, additional stock, or some of the reserved pasta water to get the consistency in the sauce that you prefer, if it's too dry or not flavorful enough for your preference. It's important to TASTE the penne while it's in the skillet, before and after you've added your seasonings and additional liquids! Mix well, put the lid back on and allow to heat through.

Once everything is at an equal temperature, sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro and a large handful or so of grated Parmesan.

We ate this with some homemade garlic toast, and forewent a salad because the penne already had a ton of veggies mixed in!

*I pulled the shrimp tails off before adding them to the skillet, but you don't have to.

Even if it's not your birthday or someone else's, this is great "anytime" sort-of recipe. And it's ready in about a half and hour or so.