Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi with Bacon

Since the season of eating is upon us, and I am taking full advantage of it, I decided I needed to kick up my work-outs a little.  I began walking/running on my quilt-hanger treadmill the mornings I don't go to the gym.

I do feel a little bad about it since I am a morning person and get up about 5:00, and Dave goes to bed about 1:00 a.m., and the treadmill is in the family room right next to our bedroom.  I kinda sound like a herd of elephants running on the noisy treadmill, early in the morning.  I try to be considerate and I don't turn the t.v. on, I listen to my iPod and I don't sing out-loud (I know, thoughtful on a couple of counts there.

So, there I was about 15 minutes into a good walk/run, I had peeled off my sweatshirt and hung it over the banister, was running at a good pace and a new song came on my iPod.  Suddenly I hear this voice in my left ear, I turned slightly to the left and caught sight of my sweatshirt and thought someone was coming up the stairs!  At 5:00 in the morning!  I literally jumped and tripped a little.  I realized what happened, harmony in the song and the sweatshirt and I laughed quietly to myself at how foolish I had been.  I finished up my run and started to walk to cool down.  About that time, Dave came out of the bedroom.  I pulled out an ear bud, and asked if the treadmill woke him up.

"The treadmill didn't wake me up, you did, when you yelled, Oh sh**."
"I yelled, Oh sh**?" I asked in amazement.
"Yep, and I can't get back to sleep now."

I had no idea I yelled when I startled myself, I never heard it (I was listening to Christian Rock at the time, with ear buds in, over a loud treadmill).  I told Dave we should move the treadmill downstairs so I wouldn't wake him up.  He just grunted and went back to bed.

I felt I needed to make it up to him a little.  I am going to get back on that treadmill Thursday for another round, and I did wake him up after about 4 hours of sleep for him.  He isn't a sweet eater but he loves shrimp, butter, bacon and pasta.  I decided to put them all together for dinner and see if I could make up a little for the early wake up. (I do want to comment he said he heard me stumble and laid in bed to see if I fell off the treadmill or if I was o.k., sweet until you realize HE LAID IN BED, I could have been in a pile on the floor).  If you need a make-up dinner, this one is wonderful.  The best part about it is, you also get to eat it.  Yum!

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi with Bacon
adapted from (and apologies to) Cooking Light Magazine, November 2012

• 8 oz. fettuccine noodles
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 slices thick cut bacon 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
•  7 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided 
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• juice of one whole fresh lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place fettuccine in a medium bowl. Stir in parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and keep warm.
2. While fettuccine cooks fry 4 pieces of bacon until very crisp.  Drain on paper towel.  Cool and coarsely chop.   Discard bacon fat and wipe out pan.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in pan. Add remaining shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer to plate.
4. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.
5. Plate fettuccine, top with shrimp and pan sauce, top with chopped bacon.