It seems like everyone is ready to welcome spring. Recipe developer, food writer and author Lidey Heuck is no exception. Heuck is visiting the TODAY kitchen to share two simple spring dinner recipes from her cookbook, "Cooking in Real Life: Delicious & Doable Recipes for Every Day." She shows us how to make creamy pasta alla vodka with plum shrimp and fresh, garlicky green beans with fried capers.
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When I'm in the mood for something cozy, quick and comforting but not necessarily a big bowl of pasta, this recipe fits the bill perfectly. Vodka sauce is incredibly easy to make at home and uses mostly pantry staples (vodka's a pantry staple, right?). Traditionally, Italians don't eat seafood and cheese together, but as far as I know, pasta alla vodka is a distinctly Italian American creation, so I think we can let this one slide. The delicate, briny flavor of the shrimp makes them an absolutely delicious (if rule-breaking) partner to the creamy vodka sauce. This is a great recipe to make when you want the comfort of a big bowl of pasta but something a little lighter and easier to make! It's a perfect spring recipe.
These garlicky, lemony green beans pack a ton of flavor for a dish with so few ingredients. Fried capers add a nice salty crunch (you'll want to sprinkle them on everything!) and a touch of vinegar gives the beans an addictive quality. That's more than I can say about most green beans. I think of these as an everyday side dish, but they'd also be a fresh alternative to Thanksgiving green bean casserole.
If you like those savory spring recipes, you should also try these:
