Recipe Collection: Real Food Adapted Shrimp Alfredo

NanaPop headed home today at nap time. Two very sad little girls fought their hardest but finally succumbed to sleep. I followed a direct order given by my husband to lay down and try to sleep. (My feet and legs are swelling this pregnancy, something ELSE completely new).  I woke up an hour and a half later and all I could think about was Shrimp Alfredo.

I decided that I MUST have it for dinner. I've never made this dish, so I did a little Googling. There were lots of blogs that told you to use store bought cheese sauce- EEWW! I dug a little deeper and  gained a basic understanding of how to make a sauce come together.  Then, I ran to the store and got cooking.

 Here's what I ended up with and it was TASTY!

Real Food Adapted Shrimp Alfredo

Preparation Time: 
20 mins

Cook Time: 
25 mins

Total Time:
45 mins

Allergens:
Dairy, Shellfish

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic half and half
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp freshly cut organic Oregano
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp organic or local butter
• 1 pound shrimp (local is best for us to guarantee freshness)
• Real Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Place 1 tbsp butter in a pot or skillet (I used enameled cast iron) on low and let it melt.
2. Peel and mince 1 garlic clove. Add it to the melted butter and stir.
3. Peel and mince the remaining 5 cloves of garlic and set aside.
4. Chop 1 tbsp of oregano and add it to the garlic and butter.
5. Chop the 2nd tbsp of oregano and set aside.
6. Add 1 cup of organic half and half to the butter, garlic, and oregano. Slowly whisk. 
7. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the pot. Continue to whisk.
8. Begin adding the grated Parmesan to the sauce, 2 tbsp at a time, whisking constantly. The sauce will begin to thicken as you add the cheese.
9. When your sauce has thickened, cover it and remove it from heat. (This process took me 10 minutes.)
10. Haul out the dutch oven over med-low heat and begin melting 2 tbsp of butter in it.
11. Add the 5 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
12. Add the 2nd tbsp of oregano to the butter and garlic. Stir and let it cook for 2 minutes.
13. Add the shrimp to the pot along withe the last tbsp of butter. Stir. 
14. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir.
15. Let the shrimp cook until completely pink- about 7-10 minutes.
16. Add the thickened sauce to the dutch oven and stir. Let this cook together for a few minutes. Then turn off the heat. 
17. Add cooked pasta* of your choice to the pot and mix until thoroughly covered. 
18. Place in serving bowl.
19. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

*I made this with some organic rice flour angel hair pasta because I couldn't find any rice fettuccine at the store. Next time I will be sure to use the fettuccine noodle because I think it will hold the sauce much better.

This dish was a hit- Miss Roo especially loved the shrimp ;) How could they not love a meal made of their favorites things- milk, cheese, and noodles! It was all gone so quickly that it slipped my mind to take a photo of anything. Miss Moo helped Daddy made a salad and we had watermelon for dessert. 

Spring is almost here! I can't wait for more simple, fresh ingredient meals with all the local goodies starting to pop up.

Have you ever made an Alfredo sauce? What is your favorite way to eat shrimp?