Naptime Nosh: Bucatini with Shrimp & Lemon Dill Aioli

So what is a Nap Time Nosh?

A meal designed to satisfy the inner food lover, passable as a dish from a restaurant, and made in minutes so you can take advantage of nap time as much as possible.

Becoming a mom isn’t easy and one of the hardest things to come to terms with, for me, was the change in our meal routine.  I no longer had endless amounts of time and all the burners on the stove going when cooking.  The kitchen is a playground for me and I love being creative, taking my time, and starting over if something didn’t work out.  Of course I can do that on occasion if my husband and I aren’t starving and can wait until the little peanut is tucked away in her crib but most nights I do miss that creative freedom and tinkering when making a meal.

In an effort to bring back a bit of that creativity, I’ve been experimenting with lunches that I can put together quickly once my daughter has gone down for a nap.  I’m not talking basic sandwiches here.  I’m talking about something worthy of a page in Food & Wine Magazine or a foodie Instagram account.  The requirements?

1. Satisfy my foodie creative side.
2. Assemble/cook in minutes so I can use the bulk of nap time as my heart desires (usually the heart desires curling up with a good book but the brain is concentrating on the basket of laundry).
3. No shame or guilt in store bought ingredients.

Another bonus here is I can enjoy some foods that my husband doesn’t care for without giving them up entirely or feeling guilty that his dinner is being pushed around his plate.

Ladies and gents, I introduce to you the first Nap Time Nosh.  A quick pasta dish with shrimp, lemon, and some aioli that comes together in minutes and tastes oh so good.

Print Recipe

Bucatini with Shrimp & Lemon Dill Aioli

Bucatini with Shrimp & Lemon Dill Aioli is a super fast dish that feels like a fancy meal but is made with totally prepared ingredients

Author: www.thelovelyloulous.com

Ingredients

• 2 oz bucatini pasta
• 4 oz shrimp
• 2 tbsp lemon dill aioli (mine is from Aldi but I also love this one from Stonewall Kitchen)
• 1 tsp dried dill
• zest and juice from 1/2 lemon

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package instructions.
• Reserve a few tablespoons of pasta water and then drain pasta.
• Stir in shrimp, aioli, and dill. Add in a little bit of pasta water at a time to thin out the aioli and form a sauce.
• Transfer pasta to a bowl and top with lemon juice and zest.

Notes

Mama Shortcuts 

If your shrimp is frozen, add to a bowl with some warm water to thaw while making lunch for the littles Set a pot of water on to boil (back burner if you've got kids who no longer nap running around!) before you start the last diaper change and cuddles before nap time.