Linguine with White Clam Sauce

4-6 main dish servings\
8-10 side dish servings

2 cloves garlic, minced
4 T butter
2 T flour
2 C bottled clam juice (1 C if using canned clams)
1/4 C minced parsley
1 1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 C fresh minced clams or 3 (6 1/4 oz) cans minced clams, juice reserved
12 oz linguine, cooked and drained
Shredded Mozzarella cheese

In large skillet, saute garlic in butter over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Whisk in flour until smooth and add clam juice.  Whisk until mixed.  Add parsley, thyme, onion, salt and pepper.  Stir 1 minute.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced by 1/3.  Add clams and heat through.  Place warm linguine in heated serving dish.  Pour sauce over linguine and toss gently. Serve immediately with mozzarella to sprinkle on top.

Dijon Sauce

2 T butter
1 T flour
1/2 C dry white wine
1 C chicken broth or stock
2 T chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/3 C half-and-half or cream
3 T chopped fresh chives

Heat medium skillet over medium heat.  Add butter and flour to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the wine.  Whisk the broth into the wine and add the thyme, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir in the cream, then remove from heat.

Best over meat and cooked in the pan with meat drippings.

Also excellent over lemon juice drizzled asparagus and avocados.

A Rachael Ray recipe.

Per serving
Calories 143
Fat 8.7
Cholesterol 30
Sodium 258
Carbs 6

Veal Scallopine with Dijon Mustard, Asparagus, and Avocados

Coarse salt
Coarse black pepper
1 lemon
1 lb very thin asparagus tips
2 ripe Hass avocados
2 T Extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1 1/4 lbs veal scallopine
1 T flour, plus some for dredging
3 T unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 C dry white wine
1 C chicken stock or broth
2 T chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 t Dijon mustard
1/3 C cream or half-and-half
3 T chopped fresh chives

In a large saucepan, bring 1" of water to a boil.  Salt the water. Add a couple of curls of rind from the lemon and the asparagus tips.  Cook the tips for 3 minutes, then drain and reserve.

Cut into and all around the pits of the avocados.  Remove pit, scoop the flesh from the avocado, and slice.  Dress the sliced avocados with a little lemon juice, a drizzle of the olive oil, and a pinch of salt and reserve.

Preheat your largest skillet over medium heat.  Season the veal with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the scallopine in a little flour.  Add the 2 T of oil and 2 T of the butter to the hot skillet.  When the butter melts into the oil, add the veal and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until evenly light golden in color. Place the veal on a platter under the loose tent of foil.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the tablespoon of flour to the skillet.  Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the wine and scrape up the pan drippings with a wooden spoon.  Whisk the stock into the wine and add the thyme, salt, pepper, and mustard.  Stir in the cream, then remove from heat.

Arrange the asparagus and sliced avocados over the veal and pour a line of sauce over the top.  Garnish the dinner plates or serving platter with chopped chives and serve.

A Rachael Ray recipe

Calories 428
Total Fat 25.1
Cholesterol 120
Sodium 343.3
Protein 27.7
Carbs 7.5
Dietary Fiber 3.5
Sugar 2

Creole Spice

1 t black pepper
1 t white pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t dry mustard
1/4 t ground mace
1 bay leaf, finely crumbled

Chicken Etouffe

Creole Spice:

1 t black pepper
1 t white pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t dry mustard
1/4 t ground mace
1 bay leaf, finely crumbled

Chicken:

1/3 C vegetable oil
1/3 C flour
1/2 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1 (16 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 t salt
3 chicken breasts, cubed (or 1 lb andouille sausage, shrimp, whatever sounds good)
1/4 minced parsley
1 1/2 C uncooked rice

In small bowl, combine all Creole Spice ingredients; set aside.

Cook rice according to directions, adding 3/4 t Creole Spice to the water.

In heavy, 4-quart kettle over medium heat, heat oil. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly until dark red-brown, about 10 minutes.  Add onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes.Stir in tomatoes, clam juice, 1 t Creole Spice, salt, and cubed chicken.  Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes. Add parsley.

Serve with rice.

Grilled Potato Slices

6 medium red potatoes
1 bay leaf
2 t fresh thyme leaves
Salt & Pepper

Heat grill to medium high

Place potatoes and bay leaf in a saucepan, cover with water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until crisp tender.  Drain and discard bay leaf.  Cool completely and cut in 24 slices.

Place slices on grill rack covered with spray. Grill 3 minutes on each side.  Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper.

Artichoke Arugula Salad

2 C water
1/4 C lemon juice
3 medium artichokes
5 C baby arugula
1 C thin vertically sliced red onion
1/2 C shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Combine water and lemon juice in large bowl. Trim about 2" from top of each artichoke.  Cut each in half vertically.  Remove fuzzy thistle from bottom with a spoon.  Trim any remaining leaves and dark green layer from base.  Place halves in lemon water. (or use canned artichoke hearts, well rinsed, then put in lemon water) Combine 2 T oil, 2 T juice, 1/4 t salt & 1/4 t pepper in large bowl, stir with whisk.  Thinly vertically slice artichokes.  Add artichokes, arugula, and onion to bowl.  Toss to coat.  Top with shaved cheese

Tuscan-Style New York Strip with Arugula Artichoke Salad

4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
10 garlic cloves, crushed
10 thyme sprigs
6 (2") strips lemon rind
2 (12 oz) New York strip steaks
1 t black pepper
6 medium red potatoes
1 bay leaf
2 C water
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
3 medium artichokes
5 C baby arugula
1 C thin vertically sliced red onions
3 lemons, quartered
Cooking spray
2 t fresh thyme leaves
1/2 C shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Combine 1 T oil, garlic, thyme sprigs, and lemon rind in a large ziptop bag. Add the steaks to bag, seal and marinate 3 1/2 hours, turning occasionally. Remove bag from refrigerator and let stand 30 minutes.  Remove steaks and discard marinade.  Sprinkle with 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper.

Place potatoes and bay leaf in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until crisp tender.  Drain. Discard bay leaf.  Cool completely, cut in 24 slices.

Preheat grill to medium high.

Combine 2 C water and 1/4 C juice in large bowl.  Trim about 2" from the top of each artichoke. Cut each in half vertically. Remove fuzzy thistle from bottom with a spoon.  Trim any remaining leaves and dark green layer from base.  Place halves in lemon water.  (I used canned artichoke hearts, rinsed them, and then soaked them in lemon water.) While artichokes soak, combine 2 T oil, 2 T juice, 1/4 t salt and 1/4 t pepper in large bowl, stir with whisk.  Thinly vertically slice artichokes.  Add artichokes, arugula, and onion to bowl. Toss to coat.

Place steak, potato slices, and lemons on grill rack coated with spray.  Grill steak 4 minutes each side. Grill potatoes 3 minutes each side. Grill lemons 2 minutes each side.  Let steak stand 5 minutes, cut diagonally against grain in thin slices.

Place 4 potato slices on each of 6 plates.  Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.  Place 1 C of arugula mix on each plate, top each with 4 t cheese. Arrange steak on top, drizzle with 1 T oil and 2 T lemon juice squeezed from grilled lemons

Italian Scrambled Eggs

1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1" lengths
4 T Butter
1 1/4 C sliced mushrooms
1/4 lb prosciutto, slivered
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 med green bell pepper, diced
10 eggs
1 t ground oregano
1 1/2 T minced basil
3/4 t pepper
1/4 t salt
3 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 fresh grated Parmesan
1 C shredded mozzarella

Blanch asparagus in boiling, salted water 1-2 minutes until crisp tender.  Drain well and set aside.  In a large skillet, heat 2 T butter; add mushrooms, prosciutto, garlic, and green pepper.  Saute over medium heat until vegetables are tender.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Whisk together eggs, herbs, and seasonings.  Cut cream cheese into bits and add to egg mixture. Heat remaining 2 T butter in skillet.  Add egg mixture.  Cook over medium heat while folding mixture with a spatula to blend in cream cheese.  When eggs are half set, add warm vegetables, mozzarella, and Parmesan.  Continue to cook while gently folding in the cheeses with a spatula.  When eggs are just done, serve immediately.

Peach Chai Syrup

1 C reserved juice from canned peaches
1/4 C packed dark brown sugar
1/4 C water
2 t cornstarch
2 spiced chai flavor tea bags

In a small saucepan combine the reserved peach juice, brown sugar, the water and cornstarch. Cook and stir over medium heat until brown sugar is dissolved. Add tea bags; cook and stir until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Discard tea bags.

Thyme Roasted Apples

2 T thyme leaves
5 apples, cut in 8 wedges
1 T olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Toss apple wedges with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Bake 25-30 minutes.

Warm Black Bean & Corn Salsa

2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 t ground cumin
salt and pepper
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 (10 oz) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1/2 C chicken broth or stock
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice of 1 lime
2 - 3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
6 C baby spinach

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with the oil.  Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.  Remove the skillet from the heat and add the lime juice, the cilantro, and spinach.  Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust seasoning.

Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean and Corn Salsa

4 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 t ground cumin
salt and pepper
Juice of 2 limes
3 T honey
1 t chili powder
4 (6 oz) salmon fillets
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 (10 oz) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1/2 C chicken broth or stock
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 -3 T fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
6 C baby spinach

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 T of the oil.  Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 T of the oil.  In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.  Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes on each side.

To the cooked onions, add the bell peppers and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.  Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro, and spinach.  Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve the lime and honey glazed salmon on top of the salsa.

Spicy Coffee Rub

2 T ground espresso beans
1 1/2 T light brown sugar
1/2 t ground chipotle or ancho chile powder
1 T paprika
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t whole mustard seed
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 1/2 t salt
1 t pepper

Coffee Rubbed Rib Steak

1 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless steak
2 T ground espresso beans
1 1/2 T light brown sugar
1/2 t ground chipotle or ancho chile pepper
1 T paprika
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t whole mustard seed
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper
Canola or Olive oil

To make rub, combine ground espresso beans, brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, mustard seeds, pepper flakes, 1 1/2 t salt and 1 t pepper.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 425. Brush steaks lightly all over with oil.  Season steaks all over with salt & pepper. Rub 1 T of coffee rub on top of each steak and allow to stand at room temperature 10 minutes.  Heat dry cast iron skillet large enough to hold steaks over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until very hot.  Add steaks, rub side down and cook without moving for 3 minutes, until the bottom of the steaks are a deep brown color.  Flip steaks over and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer pan with steaks to hot oven and cook 5 minutes for medium-rare.  Remove steaks from skillet to plate, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest 10 minutes.  Slice and serve warm.