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

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; keep warm.

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.

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.

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.

Wine note: The creaminess of this pasta dish is beautifully enhanced by chardonnay—a wine with its own creaminess.

Serves 8 (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley)

Borrowed from Cooking Light, August 2005