Creamy Pesto and Shrimp

There is nothing I love more than a good pesto dish. 

Here is one of my favorite pesto recipes. 

       Ingredients:

For the Pesto
1/2 cup baby arugula
3/4 cup fresh basil
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup pine nuts
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (more if needed for thinning)
For the Garlic Butter Shrimp
1 pound medium to large shrimp, peeled and cleaned completely
1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
6 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup chicken broth
For the Pasta
1 pound dry linguine pasta
salt
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (for topping)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, shopped (for topping)

        Directions

Pesto
In the pitcher of your blender or bowl of your food processor, add the arugula, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and a dash of salt and pepper. Blend, while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until the pesto comes together and is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to. If you need more olive oil, drizzle more until the pesto is smooth. Set aside until you are ready to use, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt, pepper and creole seasoning. Cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from heat with a slotted spoon, leaving the stove on. Add the garlic to the pan, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the chicken broth and cook over medium-high heat until most of the chicken broth has cooked out, about 5-6 minutes. Add the remaining butter and melt. Add the shrimp back to the pan, toss to coat and turn off the heat. Set aside.
Pasta
Meanwhile, prepare your pasta by bringing a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
While your pasta is cooking, add your pesto to a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat and add the half and half. Stir to combine and cook for 5-6 minutes or until completely warmed through. Add the al dente linguine straight to the pan with the pesto and toss to combine.
Serve the pasta by topping with garlic butter shrimp, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Enjoy!

(image and recipe via cooking and beer)