Sometimes we have very little time to pull a meal together. That was my conundrum this past weekend due to a work commitment, which took most of my Saturday. Yet I still managed to create a filling dinner in about thirty minutes! The menu included Shrimp and Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, Garlic Butter Rolls, and Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing. Keep reading for the recipes, tips and time savers, and an equally quick breakfast idea.
Aglio e Olio means garlic and olive oil. It also means fewer ingredients. It also means time saver. But it does NOT mean less flavor or beauty. See for yourself!
I started by heating one half cup of olive oil over medium low heart. I added five thinly sliced garlic cloves and a heavy pinch of red pepper flakes. I cooked for several minutes until the garlic started to brown. Garlic burns easily so keep an eye on it!
The next step was to turn up the heat and add one pound of large shrimp which I peeled, butterflied, and seasoned with salt and pepper. I cooked one side for two to three minutes and then flipped them.
I cooked the spaghetti in heavily salted water according to package directions. I added one half cup of the pasta water to the garlic oil and then added the drained spaghetti, tossing to coat. The pasta water helps to thicken the sauce so that it coats each strand. I then added the shrimp.
The final step was to add a bunch of fresh chopped herbs including a heaping tablespoon of basil, a tablespoon of parsley, and two teaspoons of rosemary.
To plate, I topped with extra herbs, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. Perfection. The spaghetti cooked in ten minutes, the sauce took ten minutes. Huge time saving recipe!
To serve alongside the spaghetti, I made a Caesar salad with homemade dressing. Even with making the dressing from scratch, this still only took minutes to make. Earlier in the morning, I added four anchovy filets to a blender along with two tablespoons of Dijon mustard, one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, the juice of one half lemon, and three garlic cloves which I crushed to release flavor. I blended until combined and then with the blender running, slowly drizzled one third to one half cup of olive oil, until it emulsified. I like my dressing a bit thicker so I cut off the oil a bit early. I added a handful of grated Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, and pepper, and taste tested. Then I popped it into the fridge. When the spaghetti was ready, I chopped one head of fresh romaine, coated with the dressing (I started with about half and added more as needed), and added store bought croutons, another time saver. To finish, I used my vegetable peeler to shave more fresh Parmesan cheese over the top.
Garlic bread is a must with spaghetti in my opinion, but with little time, I could not make mine homemade. And here is another time saver - I used frozen store-bought rolls and brushed them with melted butter, which I infused with two cloves of chopped garlic, a teaspoon of chopped parsley, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a teaspoon of dry Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I then baked the rolls according to the package instructions and when I removed them from the oven, I added another coating of the garlic herb butter. The whole process took less than ten minutes.
Well now that dinner is out of the way, here is a BONUS time saving recipe - Smoked Salmon Benedict. Beautiful, delicious, and FAST. My kind of meal!
Many people are afraid of poaching eggs because they find it difficult. In reality, they are very easy to make. I heated two inches of water to just below boiling and added a tablespoon of white vinegar.
I cracked the eggs, one at a time, into a tiny bowl, gently lowered them into the water and let them sit, undisturbed for around four minutes. (If you like your yolks more firm, you can add an extra minute.) I carefully removed them with a slotted spoon to a towel while I prepared the rest.
I started by laying two toasted English muffins on a plate with a frozen store-bought hash brown patty, another time saver.
I added thinly sliced smoked salmon...
...followed by one poached egg per half. At this point, I paused to make a quick hollandaise.
I added two room-temperature egg yolks to a blender along with the juice of one half of a lemon, a pinch of cayenne, salt, and pepper. I blended for a few seconds and then slowly drizzled in six tablespoons of HOT melted butter. (If the butter is not hot, the sauce will not come together.)
I poured the sauce over the eggs, as it should be used immediately.
A pinch of chopped fresh chives from my garden was the perfect finishing touch.
Try these recipes and let me know if you love them!
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