Creamy Fettuccine with Shrimp and Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked fettuccine
• 2 bacon slices (uncooked)
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; keep warm.
2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside.
3. Add shrimp and garlic to pan; sauté over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Add peas and carrot; cook 2 minutes or just until shrimp are done. Transfer shrimp mixture to a large bowl; keep warm.
4. Combine milk, flour, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan; cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove pan from heat; add cheese, stirring until blended. Add milk mixture to shrimp mixture; stir until combined. Add pasta and 1/4 cup parsley, tossing gently to coat. Transfer pasta mixture to a platter, or divide evenly among each of 8 plates; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup parsley and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.
5. Wine note: While Heidi's pairing choice of sauvignon blanc is fine, the creaminess of this pasta dish is beautifully enhanced by chardonnay—a wine with its own creaminess. A delicious, food-friendly find is Santa Rita Chardonnay "120" from the Maipo Valley of Chile. The 2004 is just $8. —Karen MacNeil