Can't Win 'Em All

This one goes out to all of you who have said that I have some hidden talent with cooking.  Let me prove you wrong!  This dish tasted TERRIBLE! I couldn't even eat it.  That being said, I know what went wrong and I can tell you not to make my same mistakes.

If I haven't scared you off already, here's how to make a not-so-terrible Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Vegetables dish! I originally saw a picture of this dish on Pinterest (again, if you haven't been here- go check it out!) but it originated from Eating Well.  Typically I stay away from "creamy" dishes.  They're usually not that healthy and on top of my diary issues, it's just not worth it.  Lately, I've had the craving for a good, creamy pasta dish.  I saw that this one was made with yogurt and thought I'd give it a shot.
What you need:

• 3 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
• 6 ounces peeled and deveined raw shrimp, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 2 small or 1 large clove garlic, chopped (BAAAD IDEA!)
• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

What to do:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook 2 minutes less than package directions. Add shrimp, asparagus, bell pepper and peas and cook until the pasta is tender and the shrimp are cooked, 2 to 4 minutes more. Drain well.
2. Mash garlic and salt in a large bowl until a paste forms. Whisk in yogurt, parsley, lemon juice, oil and pepper. Add the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts (if using).

This recipe makes two, two-cup servings.


Now, I told you this recipe was TERRIBLE and here's why: TOO MUCH GARLIC!  Usually I cut the amount of garlic in half for any given recipe so it's not overpowering.  This time I thought I'd just man-up and use what I was supposed to.  Bad idea.  The first bite I took all I could taste was garlic.  I had my sister and brother in law take a bite (just one) and we all stunk of garlic the rest of the night.  So my advice is to use just a teeeny bit of garlic.

Another thing I would do is use 1/4-1/2 c of yogurt instead of 3/4 c. Maybe since I'm not used to creamy dishes it was just too much for me and it might be okay for the rest of you to use 3/4 c. 

If any of you are daring enough to try this recipe with my new suggestions, let me know how it goes!