So this post isn’t just about this delicious pasta I made last night…
…it’s also to let you know that today Aggie’s Kitchen is celebrating it’s 1-year blogiversary! Wow, really? One year? Hard to believe that a year ago I was sitting on my laptop, still a little unsure what a blog actually was and writing this…
Snoop Bloggy Blog
…is what Larry is calling me now that I have decided to join this so called modern world of “blogging”. I am still not 100% grasping what blogging is about but I am embracing it and going to make it my own….so here goes…
I love food. I love to entertain. I’ve learned this about myself in the last few years. I also love to share what I cook (both by feeding and talking about it)….and I love to hear about what others are cooking too.
I sometimes think I am borderline obsessive about food. So this will be a creative outlet for me. If you know me, you know that I can talk about food all day, so I finally have a place to talk to my heart’s content. =)
I am also going to use this blog as a way to organize myself. I have a bazillion recipes laying around my kitchen in manilla folders, and I have a nice collection of wonderful cookbooks too. I need a place to keep my thoughts on each recipe that I try or even one that I create from scratch. I find it very hard to follow a recipe to a tee, I am always tempted to change something, like add an extra spice or vegetable so this will be a perfect place for me to keep notes on the changes I make.
So here’s to my new place to be myself and talk talk talk …. so excited!!
Aggie’s Kitchen has become my new “hangout”… I come here each day to visit with my blogging buddies and to get inspired by what all of you are cooking in your own kitchens. I enjoy reading all the comments you leave me and am ever so thankful to you for continuing to visit and read what I have to say. This blog has been a blessing for me…and I’m so appreciative of every single person who reads it. And the friendships I’ve made along the way are a bonus.
So to thank you all, I am giving away a couple of cookbooks from 2 of my many favorite Food Network celebrities. The first one is Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Book. I started watching RR’s show when my little boy was an infant…hearing the music when the show is starting always brings me back to those very early days of motherhood…good memories. I learned the basics from her…I think she’s so creative in the kitchen and admire her for working so hard for what she has.
The other cookbook I am giving away is Tyler Florence’s Dinner At My Place. I just love Tyler Florence…he seems like a nice guy and I wouldn’t mind him stopping by my kitchen to teach me a thing or two. His recipes are always full of flavor and I love the photography in this cookbook.
It’s pretty easy to enter the giveaway…all you have to do is a leave a comment on this post by Friday June 5 at midnight. You can get an extra entry if you post about this giveaway on your own blog…just leave an additional comment stating that you did so. If you don’t have a blog, please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win!
Now on to last night’s easy dinner…
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen
Serves 2-3
1/3 pound whole wheat rotini pasta (enough for 2-3 people)
4 TB olive oil, divided
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB capers
1/4 cup chopped mixed pitted olives
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper to taste
handful of torn basil
1/2 lemon
Cook pasta according to directions.
Heat 2 TB olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onions and garlic to olive oil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add capers and shrimp and saute until shrimp are just pink. Add tomatoes and cooked pasta directly to skillet and toss with additional 2 TB olive oil, torn basil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with Parmesan cheese.
(for a printable version of this recipe click here)
Enjoy!
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
Ta da! This is my very first blog comment ever and I thought it worth it to say congratulations on your one-year blog anniversary. My friend and colleague (@danalstone) introduced me to your blog through Twitter and I've loved many of your posted recipes.
I also enjoy the design of your blog and the many pictures you include throughout!
Best wishes!
Congrats on the anniverary!!
Aggie,
You ROCK!! You've inspired me…to eat. If I win the cookbook, Rick will apprecaite it since he's the cook in our family
Congrats on the one year!
LaShawn
Yahoo for you and your blog! Keep the posts coming!! I am loving this pasta dish, great for summer. Thanks for the giveaway too!
The shrimp looks scrumdidliumptious. Can't wait to try it. Love your blog and the pictures are fantstic.
Happy anniversary! I can get on your blog…yay! Great giveaway and dinner!
happy anniversary! i love watching rachel ray, too. i made her meatball subs one time. they rocked! i also made a chicken peanut wrap that was in one of her books. she's great. maybe i'll win the book and be able to try some of her newer recipes.
celine xo
Hot and humid..you got that right. I am dying!!!!
Congrats on your 1 year, and I am excited to see what you cook up in the next year to come
I can't wait to try this recipe.
Congratulations on your first year. Here's to many more.
"I sometimes think I am borderline obsessive about food. So this will be a creative outlet for me. If you know me, you know that I can talk about food all day, so I finally have a place to talk to my heart's content." — exactly why I started my blog! I'm so glad we met in the "blogosphere." Happy 1 year!!
Congrats on one year!!
I love this whole wheat pasta dish – it looks yummy!
Happy Anniversary. It really is a milestone. I really like the pasta you made last night. Looks awfully good.
Yay! I figured it out! Just want to say I LOVE the blog and I am so glad I came across it! I have passed it on to so many friends and family members and I know they enjoy it as much as I do.
Happy Blog-aversary and I wish for many more to come!
Jessica (Harper) Johnson
Happy Blog Birthday!!!!!!!!!! I am OBVIOUSLY so glad you started blogging- I LOVE so many of your recipes. My two favorites are your pulled pork and little meatball soup, but they're all fabulous. This one seems like another winner- love pasta mixed with shrimp! Enjoy your birthday tonight- eat something naughty
Your pictures look fabulous! It's definitely a dish that is right up my alley. Congrats on the blog-a-versary. Your first post is much more composed than mine
I've enjoyed hanging out on your blog as well!
I REALLY want those cookbooks. I mean really, really bad. So please enter me.
I'll have a link to the giveaway tomorrow morning.
http://happytexans.blogspot.com/
And happy bloggiversary!
Happy Anniversary! You are so generous, both books are beautiful.
Happy one year Aggie! The shrimp dish looks and sounds delish1
This dish sounds terrific, so delicious. I love one pot meals. Thanks for the chance to win one of these fabulous cookbooks.
Congrats on one year!
Happy Blogiversary! Snoop Bloggy Blog? You have a very creative husband!
Love this pasta – olives and capers and tomatoes – yum!
Aggie,
Wow….one year of your food blog. You know I'm your #1 fan and follower. You have been my inspiration to start my own blog last month. Thanks for sharing all those great recipes.
And you know what a huge Food Network fan I am. I hope I win!!!
ooh that looks delicious! I love how you just put things together – you're such an inspiration!! We've tried two of your recipes in the last few days and LOVE them – thank you!!!
Congrats on your one-year anniversary! I'd love to win the cookbooks. I'm a huge fan of both Food Network stars.
Your recipe looks great. My older son was recently diagnosed w/ a shellfish allergy so looks like I'll have to make the dish when he's away at camp.
Yay! for your blogiversary! I am so glad you started a blog- it is wonderful. This dinner looks really great and I love the humidity!
Congrats on your anniversary! I love your blog! lindsaymott@hotmail.com
Happy Anniversary! How is your (my) tomato plant? Thinking I might not see it…ever…Did you know there is a contestant on the next Food Network Star that is from Orlando? You need to kick it up and take this talent you have to the next level. I love reading your blog and inspirations you get for recipes..keeps me motivated! Don't stop blogging or cooking….. And who wouldn't want Tyler in their kitchen?
Just found your blog today.
The food looks yummy!
Congrats on your anniversary.
Me too, I could talk food, and food …. I have OCD too but in another form… I love visiting your blog, the colors always make me smile, having said that, your dish is fab, and I WANT THAT COOKBOOK!
Okay I said it.
Way to go. One year of blogging is a record for most peeps. Good for you, Aggie. I like reading about what you're brewin' up. OK, so if I win, can I request the Tyler book? The man can cook and he's hot. Rachel..not my favorite.
HAAAPY blogiversary! I don't know what looks better, the pasta or the books! I'm sure they're both full of deliciousness! Fun giveaway!
Great giveaweay. I especially am jazzed about Tyler's book.
Congrats on the anniversary
Happy Anniversary friend.
You know, the only reason I started clicking on your blog was because there was a mutual friend or two who linked to us both and we were always right next to each other in their blog list, and our names were the same. Glad I made my way over. You've been a joyous addition to my reading and to my life. Here's to another year!
Crap!
I also wanted to say kudos to you for appreciating RR. So many people bag on her but in the early days she was a great resource for me as well. And I really like the food I have made of hers (I have 365: No Repeats).
Happy 1 year anniversary to you and your blog. I know what you mean about the pleasure blogging brings. I don't know how I survived before I had this outlet for my passion for cooking. Your pasta looks awesome and thanks for the giveaway.
Just found your blog! I love cookbooks & cookblogs!
I will be following along now!!
RR & TF are awesome ~ send me those cookbooks – lol!!!
<3 jen
I love reading you blog and all the recipes!! I can't wait to try this recipe.
Congrats Aggie!!! This pasta dish is so looking good, love it!!!
Congrats! The blog really is great, and I love the excerpt from your first post. I feel the same way about food
One year–wow! Congratulations…and on last night's yummy dinner.
Congratulations Aggie! I totally forgot about my 1 year anniversary! yikes. If you ever come to California, you should visit Tyler's shop in Mill Valley. It is so much fun in there. Keep up all teh awesome posts, Aggie. I love coming here! Hope you and your family are well.
thanks for all of the work that you've put into this blog! it's so great, i come here everyday to check out what new things you've done!
Happy blogiversary! And that pasta looks great- nice and summery!
Hey! Happy Blogversary!! Your blog is wonderful and the food always looks incredibly good. Just like this recipe. You had me at shrimp and olives! Mmmm…
Looks delish – and I'd love to win a new cookbook!
Happy Bloggy-versay Aggie! I am so glad you started you blog too so I could get to know you!
Your pasta looks great! 
Happy Anniversary Aggie! I'm so glad you started blogging. I always know that I will find something absolutely scrumptious here. Your entertaining recipes to your everyday meals are always winners. Speaking of which, I want the serving of your mediterranen shrimp and pasta toss that's posted right about the ingredient list. That shrimp with the caper on it is MINE!!!
I'm so glad I stumbled across your blog. I'll be hanging out here a lot.
Happy 1 year! I have been wanting Tyler's cookbook – pick me, pick me.
On to the recipe – I love the flavors and ingredients. You know I'll be trying this one soon.
I would love either of those cookbooks. Thanks for the giveaway and Congrats!
Next Comments →