Pioneer Woman’s Shrimp Penne a la Betsy

Pasta and shrimp are two of my favorite dishes, all the more so when combined with cream and wine. Jeff and I have made this comforting decadent dish from the Pioneer Woman several times, and it remains a favorite.  The dish is simple and quick enough to whip up after work, yet elegant enough to serve as a romantic dinner for two, or when hosting a dinner party.

In typical Pioneer Woman fashion, this dish is heavy on the calories and fat, so I will experiment with slimming it down next time by reducing the oil and butter, and substituting half and half for the cream.

Shrimp Penne a la Betsy

 

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Weight Watchers Info: 15 PointsPlus per serving

Author: The Pioneer Woman

Recipe type: Main Dish

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ¾ pounds Penne Pasta
• 1 pound Shrimp
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Onion (small)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ½ cup White Wine, Or To Taste
• 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Fresh Parsley, to taste
• Fresh Basil – To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste

Instructions

1. Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.
2. Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp.
3. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.
4. Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
5. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).
6. Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.
7. Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.
8. Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

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