I know I've said this before....

I really need to cut back on my pasta intake...but I can't help it...I LOVE it! How could you not???? There are so many things you can do with it, it's ridiculous! Linguine with Clam Sauce being one of them and also happens to be a favorite of mine! I have made it once or twice before, each a little different and I must say...this was my best yet. It is SO simple and delicious. This version is actually quite light, no butter or heavy cream! Although I did eat a nice chunk of bread and butter with it...oh well, ya win some ya lose some!

Also, I did pretty good with the "trying to cook just for two" thing...this is enough for 2 hearty portions with some pasta leftover for lunch...we destroyed the clams! They were SO good and would make an impressive appetizer prepared this way as well!!!!

Linguine with Fresh Clams

12-18 littleneck clams, scrubbed

1/2 pound fresh chopped clams

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

juice from 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped plus more for garnishing

salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 lb linguine, cooked al dente

fresh cheese for grating

• Heat olive oil in medium skillet over high heat. Add the garlic & onion, cook until translucent. Approx 8 minutes.
• Add the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, parsley, salt & pepper. Bring to boil, turn down heat and add the chopped clams. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Next, add the clams, cover and steam for approx 8 minutes or until the clams open. Transfer to bowl and discard any clams that do not open.
• Finally, toss the linguine with the sauce right in the pan, serve into bowls and top with the whole clams.
• Garnish with freshly grated cheese and parsley.

Printable Recipe!!!

Don't forget the fresh bread & fresh grated cheese!

There's no more left?!?!?!?! May need to up the clam quantity next time!

Enjoy!!!

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Rustic Pizza and Bruschetta Chicken

Ok, so I know it has been almost a WHOLE week since I have posted anything!!! Can you say SLACKER??? I don't even know what I was doing...I wasn't even busy except Tuesday night...I went to see Lady Gaga in Grand Rapids with some girlfriends!!!!!!!!! And those of you that know me personally...know my obsession with Gaga! She did not disappoint....show was AH-MAZING!!!!!!!!!


Anyways...last Friday we made homemade pizza again. I know I posted about pizza recently, which you can read about here, but I wasn't 100% satisfied with how I rolled the dough so I tried it again....but this time I went out on a limb and made a rustic pizza with egg. Yes, I said egg and I gotta tell ya, I could have eaten the whole thing myself...it was THAT good! I have seen it in a few food mags and thought to myself...I MUST try that!


I wasn't exactly sure how to go about it...so I googled "pizza with egg on top" and came across this blog and the rest is history....I changed mine up a bit but the sauce is the TRICK to making this superb!


Here we go...

Rustic Pizza Sauce

10-12 roma tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt & pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Slice the romas lengthwise, remove seeds and roughly chop.
2. Heat olive oil in large sauce pan over high heat. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt & pepper.
3. Using a potato masher, mash up the tomatoes and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

NOTE : This makes about 6-8 cups of sauce. You can easily cut this in half or save the leftovers for an easy weeknight meal.
Printable Recipe!

Rustic Pizza with Egg

1/2 lb pizza dough

1-2 cups rustic pizza sauce

1 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded

4-6 slices fresh mozzarella 

4 basil leaves, torn

corn meal, if using a pizza stone

flour for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using a pizza stone place stone in oven for 45 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough very thin, place on a pizza peel.
3. Top with the sauce, shredded mozzarella, mozzarella slices and basil.
4. Sprinkle cornmeal on the HOT stone and transfer pizza to stone. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Pull out the pizza and crack two eggs on top, sprinkle with salt & pepper and continue baking for 10 minutes.
6. Remove the pizza from the oven and let sit for a few minutes. Slice and serve!!!

Printable Recipe!

At least the egg on the left looks perfect! 

I HIGHLY recommend a piece with the gooey yolk. 

DELISH!!!

DANGEROUSLY DELISH!!!

Great, now I'm craving pizza...

Since I had a few cups of sauce left over I put it in the fridge and figured I could make a quick dinner with it on Monday...and that I did....

Bruschetta Chicken 

1 package chicken cutlets

2 cups rustic pizza sauce

4 slices fresh mozzarella

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

3-4 basil leaves, torn

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

garlic salt & pepper, to taste

1. Heat olive over medium heat, add the onions and red pepper flakes. Cook until tender.
2. Add the sauce and basil leaves. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and coat well with garlic salt and pepper.
4. Heat grill pan over med/high heat about 3 minutes. Cook chicken approx 4 minutes on each side until no longer pink.
5. Place chicken in baking dish, top with sauce then mozzarella.
6. Broil for approx 5 minutes or until bubbly.

Printable Recipe!

Wasn't that easy???

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Wowza! White Lasagna with Chicken, Spinach & Mushrooms.

I don't have much time today so I will just get right to it....

DRUM ROLL PLEASE....................................................................where is Clark Griswold when you need him???

Wowza White Lasagna

adapted from : BAM!!! Emeril

3 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 10 oz package fresh spinach

2 cups fresh mushrooms, slicedx

1 whole yellow onion, sliced

1/2 tablespoon garlic

4 cups heavy cream

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1 box "no boil" lasagna noodles

3 cups shredded parmesan

1 package Italian blend shredded cheese

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

salt & pepper to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

For the chicken:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season the chicken generously with the blackening seasoning. 

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes then place the chicken in the skillet and blacken on each side. About 2 minutes per side. Then place the skillet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool, then shred.

For the sauce:

Turn oven up to 375 degrees.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over med/high heat. Add about 1/2 the spinach and let cook down a bit then add the rest. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Now add garlic and onions, cook for about 3 minutes then add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Add the spinach and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, heat 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly to make a roux. Next, slowly add the heavy cream while whisking constantly. Season generously with salt & pepper and add the dried oregano. Let simmer appox 10 minutes then add 2 cups of the parmesan. Mix well and then add the onion, mushroom and spinach mixture.

To assemble the lasagna:

Spoon a small amount of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Place 4 of the lasagna sheets horizontal in the dish.

1/2 of the shredded chicken

roughly 1 1/2 cups of the sauce

a generous handful of the Italian blend cheese and 1/2 of the remaining parmesan.

REPEAT this step for the second layer.

The third layer will not contain chicken.

Ending with the shredded cheese on top.

*Using the remaining butter, cut into small cubes and evenly place on top of the cheese*

This will help it brown to perfection

I ended up adding some shredded mozzarella on the top to make it extra cheesy...!!!

Bake covered for 45 minutes, remove cover and continue to cook until browned & bubbly.

Printable Recipe!

I reallyyyyyyyyy need to cut back on my carb intake...but how am I supposed to do that with such DELISH meals like this one????

I hope ya'll enjoy this as much as we did. I had two pieces and I think Matt had 4...maybe 5 but who's counting?

Have a FAB FRIDAY everybody!!!!!!!!!!!

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