30 Minute Lemon Shrimp Pasta

I love challenges. Even if it's a small challenge that's self-imposed. Challenges don't have to be completing a triathlon to receive great gratification. Challenges can be those that you choose to do with yourself to keep YOU on your toes. That's a big way of how I live my life each and every day. My challenges can run the gamut-physical, emotional, psychological. It might be getting through a hot yoga class, steeling myself to hold back those tears when hurt has come into my heart, using that self-talk to regulate myself and stay on task (I have a tendency to get distracted because my brain has sooooooooooo many ideas!).

This 30 minute lemon shrimp pasta became one of my challenges as I was preparing dinner. So often I hear, 'there's just no time to cook'. Yep, I agree, time is a premium for lots of folks. Other comments I hear about eating at home is 'I don't know what to do.' 'I want something easy.' 'I don't want to be a slave to the kitchen.' And, it goes on and on and on.

I take these comments to heart. I listen to those who follow me on social media trying to come to your 'rescue' and help make your life just a tad bit easier and tastier. So, in preparing this dish, which I knew one basic ingredient when I started: the shrimp I'd just purchased. I decided to pull together something easy, quick, delicious and healthy. A time-saving part of this recipe is not having to cook/drain the pasta. This recipe eliminates that step. Yes, you have to use two skillets, but one is small and all you're going to do is quickly pan sear the shrimp then add it to the creamy delicious pasta mixture.

Here's to all those folks out there that are time-starved and good-earth-food hungry! I did this recipe in about 32 minutes, start to serving, and I was kind of 'lolligagging' taking my time. Regardless of your cooking skills, if you gather your ingredients, put them on your counter, get your skillets and wooden spoons, do a tad bit of prep, like chop the basil and slice the garlic, you'll be faster than a speeding bullet! Oh, one last thing, I had sliced lemons already and I actually love to throw the squeezed slices into the dish (yes, I'll even eat the rinds...love that citrus pop!), and try to buy a really good rich brand of cooking (chicken) stock (I used Progresso in the box.). You might even opt to make your own stock. There's something about the gel nature that adds to the thickness and richness of this dish.