The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Penne alla Betsy!

For those of you who don’t know who the Pioneer Woman is… you need to climb out from under that rock and get with it! I can’t remember when exactly I first heard about the Pioneer Woman, aka Ree Drummond, but when I eventually made my way over to her blog it was pretty much impossible to tear me away. I am fairly confident that I read the entire Black Heels to Tractor Wheels story in a day and I literally just starred at my computer screen for 100 billion hours reading the most romantic story ever and then when I walked away I seriously felt like I had made a new friend. After meeting Ree at the Blogher Conference last month it just solidified how much of a fabulous person she is. (is that proper english?) She is so nice and welcoming and was surrounded by her fans the entire day not to mention super gracious and down to earth! I don’t know how I would do on a cattle ranch but Ree sure does it well! And those assistants she is looking for, for the next cookbook or recipe testers, I will gladly volunteer my services… and my dishwashing skills too!

I am a compulsive Pioneer Woman reader and recipe tester… and let me tell you… they are all delicious… and my butt and thighs probably hate me for trying all these recipes but there is really no end in sight. Especially because I now own her cookbook! Maria and I are bringing you a PW friday… check it out!

Get this… so last week I am watching the Bonnie Hunt Show (side note – I don’t usually watch the Bonnie Hunt Show, scratch that… I never watch the Bonnie Hunt Show but Ree, The Pioneer Woman was doing an appearance that day so I just had to watch) and my doorbell rings. What? Who has the audacity to ring my doorbell when I am in the middle of learning how to make the most amazing chocolate sheet cake, which by the way Ree promises will result in a marriage proposal! So I quickly run to the door, answer it and who is it – the post man – delivering my Pioneer Woman Cookbook! OMG. It is fate. Fate I tell you. So I quickly said thanks… ran back to the TV… just in time to catch the rest of her segment!

Then I quickly grabbed a cookie, or two, or maybe three and snuggled up on my couch to read the entire cookbook. And that is just what I did. 2 hours later I had read everything in that book, twice. I made a list of recipes that I wanted to try, which pretty much consisted of just re-writing the entire table of contents, and then I went to work on that Chocolate Sheet Cake. (no proposal yet – I guess I’ll just have to make it again)

Today, however, I want to share with you my favorite new go-to meal! Penne alla Betsy. Oh man was it delicious. I could have eaten the entire dish but I had to restrain myself because the holidays are coming up and I bought the most fabulous dress yesterday and I had to feed my boyfriend too, so sadly I was only able to eat 1 serving… aka a normal meal.

This is a fabulous dish for a small dinner party. It is quick but stuffed full of flavor and oh so comforting. Be sure to check out Maria’s Cornbread – it would be a perfect side for this!!!

The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Penne alla Betsy!

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Ingredients

  

• 1 lb penne
• 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 14.5 oz tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 6 basil leaves chiffonade
• salt and pepper

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente
• In a skilled over medium heat, add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil. Cook the shrimp until they are pink. Remove the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Next, chopped the onion and the garlic. In the skillet add the remaining butter and oil as well as the garlic and the onion. Saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the wine and allow it to evaporate
• Add the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to low. Then add the creamy and stir. Add the parsley too!
• Add the shrimp, taste for seasoning and adjust if needed, add the pasta and serve garnished with basil!