Cajun Pasta

The other night it was time to be eating supper (like 30 minutes ago) and I had no clue what I was going to make.  Rachel and I had spent way too much time outside working with our garden.  Then it hit me or as Rachel would say, "I got a light bulb!"  I remembered that my good friend Shanee over at "Living Life Southern Style" had a recipe for a quick pasta dish.  So, that's what I made and it was delicious.  It made me feel like I was having supper at her house.  When I still lived in TN, we used to craft, bake and cook together.  I really miss hanging out with Shanee.

My version of the Cajun Pasta.
As it turns out....I had very few of the same ingredients
as Shanee.

Cajun Pasta
by Shanee
at Living Life Southern Style

Ingredients -

• 1 pkg uncooked pasta (Shanee used linguine) I used  Ronzoni Smart Taste thin spaghetti
• 1 yellow squash (washed and sliced thinly and then halved) I used 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 zucchini (washed and sliced thinly and then halved) I used 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 medium white onion (chopped to bite sized)
• 1 red pepper and 1 green pepper (chopped to bite sized) didn't have peppers
• 3 boneless pork chops (Shanee had these onhand) I used a 2lb bag frozen raw shrimp
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth plus 3 tsp
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 T olive oil

Directions -

1. Grill meat to just shy of done.  You can season your meat with salt and pepper and Cajun spice if you desire. The above 1/2 tsp of Cajun seasoning is for the veggies, so you would use additional to season meat.  Remove meat from grill, let rest for 5 minutes and thinly slice.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.  When draining reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
3. While pasta is cooking heat olive oil in a large saute pan.  Saute squash, zucchini, onion, and peppers until tender.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute.  Add meat to pan.  Add white wine and reduce by half,  When reduced add 1 cup chicken broth, salt  and pepper and Cajun seasoning.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.  While this is simmering mix corn starch with 3 tsp chicken broth until smooth.  Gently whisk into meat and veggies and cook 30 seconds till thickened slightly.
4. Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and drained pasta to meat/veggies mixture and mix well.

Serves 6.
Calories per serving - 356

Shanee says, "There are literally a million ways to tweak this dish to your own tastes."

Boy, Shanee was right when she said you can make this many different ways!  I had fully intended on making it her way but quickly realized I didn't have very many of the same ingredients.  So, the calories with the way I  made it varied a little.  Plus, the pasta I use these days has extra fiber (5g fiber per serving).

Calories per serving (my concoction) - 433

Of course, you can add a few more calories by serving this dish with garlic bread and salad with full fat dressing!

In my pasta serving dish.

Hubby's bowl of Cajun pasta.
Can you tell he doesn't eat vegetables?