Happy Friday!

Friday finally has arrived, and with it the opportunity to savor the coming of the weekend. What a simple pleasure that is something to look forward to even if everything else has failed us. Hopefully the upcoming weekend is full with much anticipated plans, the company of great friends and just enough time for everything you want to do and get done.

One of my favorite ways to put a bow tie on this weekly event is to make Giada DeLaurentiis' Lemon Shrimp Linguine (see below). It is simple, but takes just long enough for the benefits of therapeutic cooking to kick in. There is truly something calming about making a meal. Not only do you feel as though you have accomplished something, but you also feel as though you've nourished yourself and others, and what could be a better combination? Cheers to a wonderful weekend!

Lemon Shrimp Linguine

Ingredients:

*Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*1 shallot

*2 cloves of garlic

*1 lemon

*1/2 lb linguine pasta

*2 cups arugula

*1/2 lb raw shrimp (shelled and devained)

1. Combine 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil with the zest of half a lemon. Set aside.

2. Bring salted water to a boil and add linguine until al dente.

3. While water is coming to a boil, chop garlic and shallot. Bring a saute pan to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, add the shallots and garlic, followed by raw shrimp. To the shrimp mixture, add the zest of 1/2 a lemon and the juice of one lemon. Cook just until the shrimp have turned pink, but haven't entirely curled tightly up. Turn off the heat. Add roughly chopped arugula, al dente linguine, and the lemon infused olive oil. Mix and enjoy!