I am continuing my goal of feeding a hungry college student lunch for a week for the same price as one restaurant meal would typically cost. This week I’m going to help you cheat a little. Tell your friends you made this meal from scratch and I guarantee you will have them fooled.

As always with my recipes, feel free to add or subtract any of the vegetables or meat that you don’t particularly like. This meal goes great with chicken, or veggies only.

So here are your ingredients and a break-down of the cost.

2 boxes Zatarain’s Scampi pasta – $3.44

1 package frozen shrimp (detailed and shelled) – $5

Sliced mushrooms – $2.59

Small purple or yellow onion – $.77

Red bell pepper – $1.60

Chili powder

Paprika

Garlic powder

Oil

(You can ignore the broccoli if you like. I just steamed it for 5 minutes with some garlic, then added a bit of butter and salt for a side dish.)

That total is $13.40 and this recipe makes enough to feed a family of four, or a family of one for four hungry days. Lets get cooking now!

I love this cajun pasta because you only have to use one pot! Begin by defrosting your shrimp in a bowl of water for about ten minutes. In the meantime, chop the onion and the bell pepper.

Heat the pan on medium and add some oil. Add the shrimp, and season with sprinkle of paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp, stirring often, for about five to seven minutes, or until it is pink and opaque.

Remove the shrimp from that pan into a large bowl. Add a bit more oil, then the onion and bell pepper. Cook for about four minutes, then add the mushrooms, a sprinkle of paprika, chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook on medium heat until the onions are lightly browned, about five more minutes. Add the veggies to the same bowl the shrimp is waiting in.

Now, make sure that you leave all the reside from cooking the shrimp and veggies in your pan, it will add a great flavor to the pasta! Add four cups of water to the pan, and three to four tablespoons of butter. When the butter has melted, add the pasta mix, stir, and cover. Let the pasta cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When pasta is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the veggies and shrimp. Let the pasta sit for a few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

That’s all there is to it! If you like, add some parmesan cheese to the top and eat up. This meal goes great with some garlic bread and broccoli, or just on its own.