Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, & Red Pepper Flakes

Lately I feel as though I don't want to cook.  Inspiration is hard to come by, and I'm just scouring the cupboards for something quick, easy, and minimally messy.  Enter the "From the Pantry" section of Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian.  This section is really short - just three recipes.  It really doesn't matter, because the "Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, & Red Pepper Flakes" recipe is all this section needs.  Lazy weekday evening, here I come!

Penne Pepperonata with Shrimp and Asparagus

A couple of years back, I became slightly obsessed with Trader Joe's.  I totally dug the fun shopping environment and great customer service.  Did you know they have free wine tasting?  When I found out there was a cookbook that could tell me how to use all their wonderful wares in new and inventive ways, I was immediately smitten.  I lingered in front of Cooking with all things Trader Joe's at every bookstore for what felt like a year before it was gifted to me on my birthday by my very handsome husband.

A note on this cookbook: Keep your excitement in check.  Some of the recipes in this book look awesome, but Trader Joe's is always rotating products in and out and does not guarantee that the ingredients in the book will be in the store.  Regardless, when you can find all of the ingredients, the result can be really fun.  I've been trying to expand my seafood repertoire, and I'm always up for pasta, so the "Penne Pepporanata with Shrimp and Asparagus" sounded like a good idea.