Linguine with White Clam Sauce

 

This recipe started as a version of The Old Spaghetti Factory’s Original Clam Sauce—but we’ve updated it with a few seasoning tweaks and a more flavorful base. It comes together in under an hour and is perfect over linguine or spaghetti.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, finely diced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 (6-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme (or dried thyme)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups half-and-half

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped curly parsley

3/4 pound linguine or spaghetti, cooked and drained

Directions:

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic, onion, and celery and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 6–8 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste (you’re making a light roux).

In a separate saucepan, combine the reserved clam juice, half-and-half, thyme, cayenne, salt, pepper, and white wine. Heat until steaming—

Slowly ladle the hot half-and-half mixture into the roux, whisking as you go to keep the sauce smooth. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, about 4–6 minutes.

Stir in the Parmesan until melted. Add the chopped clams and stir gently just until warmed through, 1–2 minutes.

Spoon the sauce over the cooked pasta. 

Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

 

Jeff's Tiramisu Cups

The best tiramisu I have ever had. You can also make this recipe in a 8x8 glass dish. 

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups strong coffee, freshly brewed

13 Tablespoons Amaretto, divided

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups mascarpone cheese (16 oz)

18 ladyfingers (2 per jar)

4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions:

Prepare the coffee and add 3 Tablespoons of Amaretto, stir well into a medium sized bowl.

Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and gradually add the sugar while beating continuously. Beat until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, stir the mascarpone  and the remaining 10 Tablespoons of Amaretto. Mix just until smooth.

Assemble the jars (you will need 8-10 small glass jars or ramekins). 

Spoon or pipe a few tablespoons of mascarpone mixture in the bottom of the jars.

Break each ladyfinger into 3 pieces. Dip them into the coffee mixture and place the 3 pieces into the jars. Cover with more mascarpone mixture.

Add another layer of soaked lady fingers and cover with more mascarpone.

Repeat until all jars are filled.

Cover the jars with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

When ready to serve, let the jars sit out for about 20 minutes and then dust the cocoa powder on top.

 

 

Poppy-Seed Chicken Casserole

 

Classic ’80s Mom Vibe comfort food; updated. Vermouth and mushrooms give it a more elegant, savory note, and rotisserie chicken makes it weeknight-easy.

 

 

Ingredients: 

1 rotisserie chicken 

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup vermouth (or white wine)

1 (4 oz) jar of sliced mushrooms, drained and reserve a splash of mushroom juice

S&P to taste  (1/4 teaspoon of each)

1 1/2 sleeves of crushed Ritz cracker 

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1-2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut chicken into large pieces and place in greased casserole dish. A 7x11 dish is perfect. Combine soup, sour cream vermouth, mushrooms, mushroom juice from jar, S&P. Pour over chicken.

In another medium sized bowl, crush the Ritz crackers and stir in the melted butter. Mix in poppy seeds and spread the cracker mixture over the chicken.

Bake 30 minutes, uncovered until bubbly.

 

 

 

Grilled Molasses Flank Steak with Spicy Cherry Salsa

 Adapted from Southern Living

 

 

 

Molasses Marinade:

Ingredients:

1 (2-3lb) flank steak, scored

3/4 cup molasses

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoons fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

S & P

Directions: 

Place ingredients except for flank steak in a medium bowl and mix well,  

Score the flank steak and place in a large zip-lock baggie. Pour marinade over the flank steak and seal the baggie. Place on a sheep pan and marinate in the fridge for 4-12 hours.

Grill until desired doneness. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Cut diagonally across the grain into slices and garnish with the cherry salsa. 

 

Cherry Salsa:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup red pepper jelly

1 Tablespoon lime zest

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

2 cups pitted and coarsely chopped fresh cherries  

3/4 cup fresh diced peaches or nectarines (or mix the fruit)

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped 

1/3 cup chopped green onions

Directions: 

Whisk in a medium bowl the red pepper jelly, lime zest, lime juice and crushed dried red peppers.  

Stir in cherries, nectarines or peaches, cilantro and scallions. 

 

 

 

Alabama White BBQ Sauce

Alabama white barbecue sauce is a North Alabama original—a peppery, tangy, mayonnaise-and-vinegar sauce widely credited to Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, where it was created in 1925. It’s typically served cool or at room temperature, and it’s especially perfect with smoked chicken. 

 Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups mayo

1/4 cup water (optional for thinning)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh ground black pepper (this is crucial to the recipe)

1 Tablespoon Creole mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowls.

Whisk thoroughly to combine until the sauce is smooth. Your ant the mayo and vinegar to emulsify.

Chill covered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for all flavors to meld.  

Georgia Cracker Salad

Think of it as the “pantry salad” you throw together when tomatoes are ripe on the counter and you need something fresh, creamy, and crunchy in a hurry. It’s long been a potluck standby across the South, and Paula Deen helped make the tomato-and-saltine version famous for modern home cooks.

 

Ingredients:

1 sleeve of saltine crackers

1 large tomato or 2 large Roma tomatoes (seed the tomato and drain on paper towels for a few minutes)

3 green onions, finely chopped (white and green part)

1 hard-boiled egg, chopped

Pepper

Mayo 

Directions:  

Crush the crackers with your hands into a medium mixing bowl. You want to have some big cracker pieces for texture.  Think rustic. 

Combine  the ingredients except the mayo and stir well.

Add the mayo a 1/2 cup at a time until is reaches your desired consistency. You want the ingredients to be just coated. 

Season with pepper. The saltines add enough salt, so taste before you add anymore salt.  

 

 

 

 

 

Cinnamon Pineapple

This is a good side dish to serve with fish. 

Cinnamon Pineapple

Ingredients:

2 (20 oz) cans of pineapple chunks drained, reserve juice

1 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon rum

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Saute ingredients in a sauce pan adding 1/4 cup of reserved pineapple juice. 

Simmer 5 minutes and serve.   

I make this with 1 can of pineapple and follow the rest of the recipe.  

Picadillo

 From The New Cast Iron Skillet. I like to serve this with plantains (the frozen international section at your grocer). And split toasted bolillo rolls. 

Comida cubana muy buena y auténtica

 

Ingredients: 

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound ground chuck

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 green bell pepper, minced

1 jalapeno or Serrano chile, seeds and ribs removed and chopped

3 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup beef stock

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 (15 oz can) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

1/2 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives

S & P (half teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef breaking up lumps for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned. Remove the beef from the skillet and discard the grease. I wipe the pan with a few paper towels.

Add the addition 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and cook the onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapeno or Serrano chile. Cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the chile powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon, cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the stock, tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, wine and raisins. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the beans and olives and cook for 15 minutes more. 

Season with S&P. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve over white rice.  

 

 

 

 

Fun Cookies

 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 (10 oz) package M&M candies

3/4 cup peanuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugars, beat in egg and vanilla. 

Blend the flour mixture into the creamed sugars and butter. Stir in candies and peanuts.

Drop by heaping teaspoon or small scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-11 minutes.