Clams with Spicy Sausage

I (like most people, I’m sure) cook mostly things I want to eat. Every now and then, I will get a special request and will go outside my comfort zone (like this Meatloaf recipe, or this Sriracha Deviled Eggs recipe) but when it comes to a weeknight dinner, I’m really selfish about what I cook. So I thought it might be nice if I finally made something that was up my boyfriend’s alley more so than mine.

Clams with Spicy Sausage

Don’t get me wrong, I still like what’s going on in this recipe. I just don’t usually make meals with sausage. But I was reminded of this recipe for Clams with Spicy Sausage as a suggestion to make on World Oceans Day as a Perfect Protein blogger (more information on that in my post on Thai Coconut Mussels), which was June 8. So. Um. I’m a little late. But this recipe is too tasty not to share!

Clams with Spicy Sausage

This recipe can be found in the book The Perfect Protein: The Fish Lovers Guide to Saving the Oceans and Feeding the World and is from the ultimate seafood chef, Eric Ripert. This man knows his fish; one of his restaurants, Le Bernardin is known as a seafood mecca. But this recipe is really easy to make and cooks quickly, making it perfect for weeknight meals. I altered the recipe slightly but the gist is still the same.


Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • the zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 andouille sausage, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 2 dozen littleneck clams, well scrubbed
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • lemon wedges, for serving

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Prosciutto Fig and Arugula Flatbread

!This weekend, I attended a conference in Philadelphia. As a “local blogger” I received quite a few food perks due to my proximity to the conference. I was sent home with a case of Gerolsteiner Mineral Water, a whole watermelon (and a heavy one at that!), and a case of fresh California Mission Figs. Poor me, right? 🙂

So. Figs don’t last terribly long which means I might have a few fig posts in a row. But figs are so much more versatile than you expect and can be really quite fantastic in a savory dish, especially in this Prosciutto, Fig, and Arugula Flatbread!

Flatbreads are a great weeknight meal, although you have to let your dough sit out at room temperature for at least an hour. So, more specifically, they are great for nights where you get home in time to leave out the dough, go do some chores/errands, and then want to whip up a quick meal.

Whenever I think of figs, my mind immediately goes to bacon-wrapped figs (I’ve done a post in the past with bacon-wrapped dates which I used as a substitute for figs in case you have any interest), which can be easily translated from an appetizer into a main meal by turning the recipe into a flatbread. When visiting my boyfriend’s brother last summer,  they made us an absolutely delicious grilled flatbread with prosciutto, figs, and goat cheese which was my inspiration for this dish. I added some baby arugula and a balsamic reduction as well to give it a little more bite.

Ingredients (serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as an appetizer):

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 8 oz dough, at room temperature
  • cornmeal for dusting (or flour)
  • olive oil
  • 6 oz crumbled goat cheese
  • 3-4 mission figs, thinly sliced
  • 1 oz prosciutto, torn into thin strips
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed baby arugula
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

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Caprese Stuffed Grilled Balsamic Portobello Mushrooms

With grilling season here, I am in search of recipes that aren’t just, well, burgers. I love a good grilled burger, but they can get old pretty quickly. I realized recently that I haven’t had many mushroom recipes lately so this is the perfect time to try grilling a portobello mushroom! I kind of combined two recipes for inspiration for this post. The mushrooms are first brushed with a soy-balsamic marinade and grilled. They are then filled with a mixture of tomatoes, mozzarella, roasted garlic, and basil.

Ingredients:

  • 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 4 large portobello mushrooms
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 small to medium sized tomatoes, chopped
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Shrimp Scampi

Seafood is a great weeknight meal because it cooks up so quickly. The only problem is getting to the supermarket to get it because you don’t really want seafood sitting in your fridge for more than a few days. A few weeks ago, my supermarket was having a sale on uncooked frozen shrimp so I grabbed two bags to use for a quick meal.

I somehow have never made Shrimp Scampi, so when I saw a version on Cooking Planit, I decided it was about time! This recipe takes about 30 minutes if you buy the shrimp already peeled, deveined, and with the tails removed. (I have a review of Cooking Planit within my Braised Baby Back Ribs and Creamy Polenta with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta post if you’d like to read more about this app.)

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds shrimp (about 20 shrimp)
  • the juice and zest of two lemons
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 lb angel hair pasta
  • salt and pepper, to taste

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Banana Bread Muffins

When I have time on Sundays (which isn’t terribly often), I like to make a batch of muffins so I have breakfast for the week. Because I had some overripe bananas, this week I decided to make Banana Bread Muffins. I was recently sent some coupons to try Kretschmer Wheat Germ products so I thought adding some of the Honey Crunch would add some nice texture and flavor to the muffins.

So what exactly is wheat germ? Wheat germ comes from the wheat kernel, which is the part removed when refining whole grains into white flour. Wheat Germ is a great source of Vitamin E, B vitamins and folic acid. You can find it in the cereal aisle. Wheat germ can be used in recipes calling for flour or breadcrumbs so its quite versatile. I’ve also used it in smoothies.

So that you can try wheat germ for yourself, Kretschmer is giving away some coupons good for free wheat germ products to an I Can Cook That reader! More on that below.

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcake-sized muffins, of 6 large muffins):

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup Kretschmer Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cinnamon, to taste

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Seared Wild Striped Bass with Sauteed Spring Vegetables

Spring has some of the best vegetables and it’s about time I put some of them to use! Anne Burrell has this fantastic recipe for Seared Wild Striped Bass with Sauteed Spring Vegetables using some of bright green veggies available right now and pairs it with a method for cooking seared wild striped bass that gets the skin super crispy without it curling up.

Ingredients:

  • Salt
  • 1 bunch asparagus, snapped where it wants to naturally break
  • 2 cups sugar snap peas, tips and strings removed
  • 1 cup shelled fava beans
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup morel mushrooms, cleaned and cut lengthwise in 1/2
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4 (6-ounce) wild striped bass fillets, with skin

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Seared Scallops and Steak with Manhattan Sauce

I tend to make dinner based on what I’m in the mood for and my boyfriend just has to at least pretend to enjoy it. That involves a lot of fish, pasta, and rice which I’m sure can get a bit boring. So I thought it might be nice if I finally made some steak. But, naturally, I still included some scallops, because I’m still the one cooking! This recipe for Seared Scallops and Steak with Manhattan Sauce from Rachael Ray is simple, quick, but absolutely delicious. It’s a perfect date night meal.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 2 New York Strip Steaks
  • 4 large diver sea scallops
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/3 cup sweet vermouth
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon chives

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Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo

I had corn tortillas left over from making the Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Sauce. I needed another taco recipe that was completely different flavor-wise than the fish tacos, so I went for Cooking Light’s Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo in the May issue. (Note: the May issue has a ton of taco recipes, even a dessert one!)

Ingredients:

  • 20 baby sweet peppers
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
  • 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
  • the zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 2 garlic cloves, mined
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa
  • 2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

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Artichoke and Arugula Pizza with Prosciutto

This weekend, I was looking for a quick meal to feed myself and a bunch of friends. I wanted something that doesn’t really involve a sit-down meal but would fill everyone up. Homemade pizza is perfect for situations like this. You can add whatever toppings you want and can even make a bunch of smaller pizzas to have variety. I found this recipe for Artichoke and Arugula Pizza with Prosciutto from Cooking Light and basically stuck to the recipe. I did substitute in fresh pesto instead of the jarred stuff and I’d suggest doing the same. Fresh pesto is so much tastier and it really doesn’t take long to make.

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal
  • 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
  • 2 tablespoons commercial pesto (or homemade pesto)
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained
  • 1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto
  • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups arugula leaves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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Linguine with Spinach Herb Pesto

I love a fresh pesto, it brightens up any dish and just screams spring. I made Fettuccine with Seared Tomatoes, Spinach, and Burrata earlier this week and had some spinach left over. Cooking Light’s latest issue had a recipe for Linguine with Spinach Herb Pesto which uses spinach, basil, oregano, and time to make a creamy pesto sauce. How great does that sound??

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces fresh baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons organic vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (~1/2 a lemon), plus zest from 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided (about 1/4 cup)
  • 8 ounces uncooked linguine

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Fettuccine with Seared Tomatoes, Spinach, and Burrata

There are few things pasta can’t cure. (I’m not a doctor so don’t hold me to this) Pasta is my ultimate comfort food. Growing up, it was literally the only food my grandma (my mom’s mom) would make for me when I would visit, with the exception of Thanksgiving dinner. If I’m in a bad mood, need a pick me up, or feel a cold coming on, I want pasta. So when Cooking Light’s March issue’s photo was of a beautiful bowl of pasta, I was immediately excited for what deliciousness might be inside. Paging through, the issue didn’t disappoint. I plan on making quite a few of these, so expect a bit of a pasta week coming up! (I’m also about to move so my precious kitchen tools are little by little being packed away.) I naturally had to make the one on the cover first, so here is my take on the Fettuccine with Seared Tomatoes, Spinach and Burrata.

First a little background on Burrata, which means “buttered” in Italian (interest peaked? I thought so). Burrata is basically the best mozzarella cheese ever. Why? Because it is mozzarella cheese with cream. Oh yes. You should be able to find it in the specialty cheese section of your supermarket but if not, mozzarella is obviously a fine substitute (if you can, sub in the mozzarella that is still in a brine to have a super creamy version).

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine (I used a mixture of spinach fettuccine and regular)
  • Cooking spray
  • 2/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved (about 10 large)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 3 cups)
  • 4 ounces burrata cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper

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Sesame Salmon with Green Onions and Lemon

I’ve been eating pretty crummy lately, a lot of take out and not a lot of thought about what I am eating. So it’s about time I tried a new salmon recipe. The latest Cooking Light has a recipe for Sesame Salmon that caught my eye. I made a few changes to the recipe (some intentional, some not) but kept the overall gist of the recipe in tact. Salmon is one of my favorite weeknight meals and this one is no different. The recipe takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, great for a busy night.

Ingredients:

  • 4 (6-ounce)  salmon fillets
  • Cooking spray
  • 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced green onions (about 2 bunches)
  • 5 thin lemon slices, halved
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup baby arugula

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Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

This may come as a surprise, especially coming from a food blogger, who is about to share a recipe for Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, but I had my first piece of bacon just a few years back. I’ve never been a big fan of pork products to begin with (I was an awfully picky child… sorry mom!) and swore it off all together after a trip to Switzerland where I couldn’t find anything that didn’t have pork/bacon/ham/sausage in it. But a few years ago, I finally started going back to eating pork, starting with bacon. And I’ve never looked back. Although I’m still not fully into pork yet, I have finally incorporated it slightly into my repertoire.

Hatfield Quality Meats contacted me last week to see if I’d be interested in trying some of their products. At first I was a bit wary but this was my chance to finally work with pork products and perhaps even like it! So I thought I’d jump in head first with a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin!

Hatfield’s pork products include bacon, tenderloin (marinated and regular), ham steaks and sausage and can be found at your local grocery store. I was sent a boneless pork loin filet, which has no MSG added and is gluten free, as well as thick cut hardwood smoked bacon, both of which I used in this recipe.

Ingredients (get all ingredients here):

Pork:

  • 1 (2-lb.) pork tenderloin
  • 1 tablespoon steak seasoning (recipe below)
  • 6-8 bacon slices
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish

Steak seasoning:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

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Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

I know, I know. You probably read the title and thought to yourself there is no way quinoa can be a tasty breakfast. But hear me out. Quinoa, although a great grain to use as a dinner side, can also hold its own as a sweeter breakfast meal. I actually originally made this recipe so that vegan friends who were visiting for the weekend had a breakfast option. (Vegans have a tough time when it comes to breakfast! Oatmeal, quinoa, fruit. I think that’s about it…) Anyways, I wasn’t expecting much. But it was so tasty I made a batch for my breakfasts all week. That’s right, it even reheats nicely!

I found this recipe on Budget Bytes and made some minor changes. Check out her original recipe here.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 medium apple (I used Fuji)
  • 1/2 cup dried fruit/nut mixture

 

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Chicken Puttanesca with Angel Hair Pasta

I border on having an obsession with seafood. If I could eat it every night I would. (I have over 60 seafood recipes listed on this blog alone!) But I apparently have caused my boyfriend to be “fished out” so I decided to make a chicken dish with another favorite ingredient of his: olives. Pasta Puttanesca normally includes a tomato sauce with olives and capers. This Cooking Light version of Chicken Puttanesca is simplified to make it easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce
  • 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped kalamata olives
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 cup (1 ounce) pre-shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Chopped fresh basil

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