Welcome to my cookbook series! Who doesn’t love a good cookbook/ Pinterest recipe find/ meal kit service? Or, do you have some skills, and freestyle your meals? I am somewhere in between the two. Free-styling.. making a hodgepodge meal of what’s on hand, but I’m more so leaning at least loosely to a recipe. One thing I hate is spending money on food and having it taste blahhh, so I usually opt for something tried and true (I stalk the reviews lol).

I have quite a few cookbooks that I frequently use. And honestly, its hard to tell if a cookbook really is good before you buy it. I created this cookbook series to talk all about it! I would love to have a gourmet meal for dinner every night, but let’s face it, no one has time for that. However, what I do have time for is making a quality meal for my family that tastes good and maybe even look like we decided to stop in someone’s restaurant! (wishful thinking). I opt for easy going meals that have the potential to be cooked during the week, and don’t require random ingredients. You will also notice I go for cookbooks that have a picture for 90% of the dishes (millennial problems), I just like to know what I’m getting myself into lol.

The Cookbook

A cookbook that I have fell in love with due to its simplicity, yet sophistication, is Back Pocket Pasta by Colu Henry. Her cookbook is based on the principles that cooking should be fun, free-styled, and she believes that you should always have a stocked pantry! What you will also notice is that this book is filled with nothing but pasta dishes! Don’t be scared, carbs are not the enemy! lol

Stock your pantry

Don’t you just love scanning the ingredient list and having pretty much all of the items! Um, yes. And if you don’t, you can just switch out items for what you do have–just improvise, being spontaneous and creative with your dish is what this author is all about! And honestly, that’s what cooking is all about, trial and error.

The verdict

I wanted a cozy pasta meal for the cold weather, so I went with the Pasta in Shrimp Tomato Cream, and it was a hit! My daughter licked her bowel clean, and as you know, toddlers are picky and unpredictable.

Colu Henry

Pasta with Shrimp in Tomato Cream

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings: 4 people

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Kosher salt
3/4 pound fusilli
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
freshly ground pepper
3 scallions thinly sliced (dark green portion kept separate)
3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/4 cup fresh basil

Method

Back Pocket Pasta has so many delicious, easy pasta meals. Be sure to pick it up so you can have a taste for yourself! xo

What is your go-to pasta dish? Please, do tell! xo