Linguine With Clams

It was my dad's birthday a couple of days ago... and I took advantage of his current situation to invite him over for dinner.  :)  My dad and I were divorced at the same time, and I can honestly say we leaned on each other a lot.  It gives me so much joy to actually see him happy.  I know he feels the same for me too.  He has told me so many times that he loves Gary and our lives together- and we are actually able to relax and spend lots of time with each other..  I cherish it.

What better excuse to make my special linguine and clams right?  It's Gary's absolute favorite dish.  After I returned home for the store he also couldn't believe I didn't get a birthday cake and candles.  This prompted him to run out and pick up an ice-cream cake for my dad.  Love that man.  Anyhow enough anecdote... here's the goodness.

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
• 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (16 oz) package linguine pasta
• 3 cans clams with juice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon sweet cream butter
• grated parmesan cheese to taste
• chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook to al dente.
2. Heat a saucepan on medium.  When oil is hot, add garlic, onions and mushrooms.  Stir in oil to coat, about 4 minutes.  Add salt & pepper
3. Drain one can of clams, but keep juice of other two.  Add clams with juice to saucepan
4. Add wine & butter, and bring to a boil
5. Bring heat down to low, and let alcohol cook off the sauce.  Stir, and wait until it thickens.
6. Strain pasta, and toss with sauce.  Add parsley, & cheese.  Add more salt & pepper as necessary

As always- huge hit with the family.  The grocery store this time around didn't have flat leaf parsley so I had to use the curly stuff.  It was fine, I just chopped it as fine as I could.  This is especially good the next day after the sauce soaks in the noodles overnight.  

I have to include the picture of the birthday cake Gary got my dad because it pretty much melted my heart.  I am so lucky to have such great people in my life, and last night we had a great time.  Well, and lots of wine of course.  :)

49er Buffalo Chicken Wings

Yes I know, the 49ers lost to the Seahawks yesterday.  I can tell you I am so incredibly tired of hearing the taunting from work people- I'm glad it's over regardless of the outcome.  Even though Gary is a Steelers fan- we did spend quite a bit of time in the Emerald City.  I thought it was a perfect excuse to make my special baked chicken wings.  :)

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pack of "party wings"
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce

1. Line a banking sheet with aluminium foil, and spray with cooking spray.  Mix the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder & kosher salt in a freezer bag.  Rinse chicken wings & pat dry.  Add chicken wings to bag, seal, & toss until well coated with flour mixture.  Place wings onto the baking sheet and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  This will make the breading and sauce stick
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Melt butter in a sauce pan, and add the hot sauce.  Whisk until mixed well.  Dip the wings into the hot sauce mixture until well coated.  Place the wings on a broiler pan.  This is especially important.  This will make the wings crispy- as the fat drains into the lower pan.  Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.  
4. For the last 5-10 minutes broil on high to make wings extra crispy
5. Add bleu cheese and extra hot sauce on the side for dipping

I do have a 49er fan in the making at home.  I am working on him- I know that the Steelers will always be his number one team.  However with the Bay Area now considered a forever home....  I think I might be successful in a few years...

Easy Ginger Miso Soup

My guy and I both work at home which proves interesting at times.  :)  Both of us really like to cook- but when we are at work... we are often pressed for time.  Also I have rediscovered Asian food... since I was deprived so long.  Getting ready for Thailand in a few months!

This recipes basically takes lots of Trader Joe's store bought ingredients and combines them.

It's nowhere near homemade, but it's great to keep offhand for a quick meal.  You can also add your own veggies and protein and make it your own.

• Miso Ginger Broth
• Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage)
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 1 cup cooked shrimp

Start with this.  You can get this at TJ's- it's ready made ginger miso soup broth.  YUM!

Just open and dump into a pot, and turn on medium high.


Rough chop bok choy.  This does cook down.  I love TJ's because you can get fresh veggies already packaged.

Open water chestnuts, and add to bok choy and broth.

Defrost shrimp, and add to the pot.

It should look like this.

Heat an medium high heat and cover for about 10 minutes.

Ladle and serve, and add Sriacha if desired.  I definitely love it spicy.

It's that easy!  Happy Tuesday.

Creamy Lemon Chicken with Capers

I love the cooking with soups concept.  This is where I stray from my mother who doesn't like anything Americanized or outside of the box she is used to. I think it's a great short cut for flavor.  This is a lazy American way to play on chicken piccata- and I think it's amazing.

• 1 lemon juiced
• 4 thin-sliced skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 cup regular long grain rice (cooked according to package)
• 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• paprika, salt & black pepper to taste
• fresh parsley 

1. Squeeze juice from lemon, set aside
2. Season the chicken with paprika & salt
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion & garlic, adding black pepper and a bit of salt.  Set aside
4.  Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides. 
5. Stir the soup, wine, lemon juice and capers in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet.  Add mushrooms, garlic, and onion.  Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken and sauce with the rice.
6. Add fresh parsley over chicken and serve 

My guy loved it!   He just bought me a really cool juicer from Sur La Table- it's SO COOL!  

Here it is.  :)

I didn't eat any rice, but the sauce is rich and creamy- it's perfect.  It's a great 30 minute meal for a weeknight.

Pork Roast with Sauerkraut and Kielbasa

Being engaged to a die-hard Pittsburgher is pretty interesting.  I am learning new words every day.  One thing to make my guy less "salty" on New Year's day when nursing his hangover is this German tradition.  I had never really heard of it- but it was super easy to make.

• 1 (2 pound)  boneless pork tenderloin roast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• fresh thyme
• salt & pepper
• 4 pounds of sauerkraut
• 1 pound kielbasa, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/2 bottle of your favorite beer
• 1/2 onion

1. Preheat the oven broiler.  Place the roast on a roasting pan and baste with olive oil.  Sprinkle thyme and salt & pepper over the roast.  Brown under the broiler until meat is browned  It should look like this...  
   
2. Chop onion and cook in a frying pan with olive oil.  Set aside.
3. Place 2 pounds of sauerkraut on bottom of slow cooker, and arrange kielbasa along the edges.
   
    When the pork roast is done, place it in the center.  Cover everything with the remaining sauerkraut, and pour onions, vinegar and beer over all.
4. Cover slow cooker, and cook for 6 hours on high

I actually only used 3 pounds of sauerkraut and it was plenty.  I just bought a big jar and a can.  Gary though says he likes to use fresh sauerkraut... which I have never seen.  I guess YINZ in Pittsburgh have that stuff offhand?  :)

Here is the finished product.  The picture doesn't do it justice... it was delicious.  We had our first overnight house guest staying in the Penthouse with us tonight... and there was none left after those two boys were done with it all. Also, I caught my guy sampling some of the kielbasa behind my back when it was cooking in the slow cooker.  I was wondering why there really wasn't that much.... However,  both the pork and kielbasa were amazingly tender.

As a traditionalist... I'm sure we will be making this every New Year's Day for years to come.  Prost my friends.