Cajun Shrimp Spaghetti with Cream Sauce

This will be my last entry for a while. Tom and I leave tomorrow evening to spend the rest of the week with my family in Michigan. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

That said, we don’t really have much in the way of groceries, and I just wanted to use up what we did have–a little half and half and some mushrooms. Thanks to the frozen sliced peppers and shrimp in my freezer (thank you Trader Joe’s) and the pasta that is inevitably always in my cupboard, this really quick (and pretty healthy!) meal came together nicely. I decided to make a cream sauce (but one that is not terrible for you) and give it some spice with Cajun seasoning. Delicious!

I am submitting this to Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast for Presto Pasta Night.

Cajun Shrimp Spaghetti with Cream Sauce
Serves 2

4 oz. cooked spaghetti or pasta of your choice (I use whole wheat)
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled/deveined
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 small onion, diced
1 cup sliced bell peppers (I used yellow, green and red)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. flour
1/3 cup half and half
salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning to taste

Heat the butter over medium heat in a skillet. Sprinkle the shrimp liberally with Cajun seasoning, and then saute in the pan for 1 minute per side (you are not cooking it through here). Remove with a slotted spoon.

To the skillet, add the onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic. Saute until the vegetables are tender. Add the flour and stir it for a minute or two, to cook off its rawness. Add the half and half and stir, thickening. Put the shrimp back into the skillet to cook through. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and more Cajun seasoning, if desired). Toss with hot pasta and serve.