Applebees Copycat Cajun Shrimp Pasta 7 Ww Pts Recipe 445

Steps:

• To form the roux, melt 1/3 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat until a pinch of flour sprinkled in the butter begins to bubble. Whisk in the flour to form a thick paste the consistency of cake frosting. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the flour turns peanut butter-brown, about 35 minutes.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Move half of the vegetables to a large saucepan.
• Pour roux into the small saucepan; heat over medium-low. Add diced tomatoes and green chiles, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, white sugar, and cayenne pepper.
• Stir in tomato sauce and vegetable oil to the vegetable mixture in the large saucepan. Add roux mixture and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer; cook 10 minutes. Pour in 2 cups water; bring back to a simmer. Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in spaghetti, separating the strands. Cover and cook until spaghetti is tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper; garnish with parsley.

Steps:

• Prepare the fettuccine 1 minute shy of the package instructions. If you drop the pasta into the salted boiling water just after starting the sauce they will both be done at roughly the same time. In a small bowl, mix the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning. In a large sauté pan over a medium high heat, add the peppers, onions and olive oil with some salt and pepper to taste and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Push all of the veggies to one side of the pan and add the butter, garlic, lemon zest and shrimp to the empty part of the pan then sauté the shrimp for 2 minutes on the first side and an additional minute on the second side. If your pasta in not done yet you'll need to remove the shrimp from the pan so they won't overcook. Continue sautéing the peppers and onions using the whole surface of the pan now and once the fettuccine is done add it to the pan but reserve some of the pasta cooking water in case it is needed to loosen the dish. Add the shrimp back into the pan then squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the skillet and continue to toss the pasta until everything is well combined then serve.