All-Clad Recipe Blogger Contest: Linguine with White Wine Clam Sauce

I was asked several weeks ago to participate in an All Clad Blogger Contest and now I am in the Top 5! I need YOUR help to make it to the final round. Please visit this link and vote for my dish!  I was sent a 10 inch All Clad Stainless Steel Frying Pan and I had to come up with a "one pan wonder" that would knock the socks of off the judges and my fellow followers. I thought long and hard about what to make and it did not take long for me to decide on one of my favorite foods - pasta! I have spent the winter months making hearty, comforting pasta dishes so I knew it was time to lighten things up. It was time for a seafood pasta that was sure to be a crowd pleaser. After all, how can you go wrong with a simple white wine and garlic sauce?

You Will Need

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine

1 cup salted water

15 little neck clams

2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lb linguine, cooked al dente

3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

Freshly grated Parmesan for topping

Here We Go

Heat oil in All-Clad 10” Stainless Steel Fry Pan over high heat

Add garlic and cook for roughly one or two minutes

Add crushed red pepper and oregano and cook for another minute

Add white wine and salted water and cook for about 3 minutes

Add the clams, cover the fry pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until clams open (be sure to discard any that do not open)

Remove the clams with a slotted spoon and set aside

Bring the liquid that the clams have cooked in to a boil over high heat

Add the butter, salt, pepper, parsley and pasta to the fry pan

Return the clams to the pasta

Toss with tongs

Serve in bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Serves 2
Happy Feasting!

Good Ole' Open Faced Tuna Melts

Something about Spring makes me think of all things picnic - tuna salad, chicken salad, fresh fruit, pimento cheese and a delectable crisp white wine. What I love about this tuna salad is its simplicity. You probably have a few cans of tuna already in your pantry and the other items are most likely already in your refrigerator. You can make this tuna salad in about five minutes and you will have enough melts for your entire family!

You Will Need:

• 15 oz canned tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or miracle whip
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 6 slices of crusty bread
• 6 slices of sharp cheddar cheese

Here We Go:

• Preheat the broiler
• In a mixing bowl, combine sweet pickle relish, tuna, mayonnaise, celery, salt and pepper
• Mix thoroughly with wooden spoon     
• Arrange the bread slices on a work surface        
• Spread tuna mixture on bread slices
• Top the tuna salad with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese
• Place sandwiches on a sheet tray and place under broiler
• Cook until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes

Makes 6 Tuna Melts
Happy Feasting!

Roasted Banana Pudding

We had a great Easter weekend! My parents and grandmother were here for the holiday and we quickly ate and shopped our way through the town all weekend long. Some of our friends had their parents in town too, so we hosted everyone at our house last night for a North Carolina BBQ feast. Some argue that North Carolina BBQ is some of the best in the country and after moving here I, too, have started to agree with this statement. After gorging ourselves on BBQ, ribs, baked beans and slaw, we finished off the meal with banana cupcakes and this roasted banana pudding!

Adapted from: Cooking Light August 2011

You Will Need:

• 5 ripe unpeeled medium bananas
• 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 (12oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 45 vanilla wafers, divided

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Place bananas on a jelly-roll pan covered with parchment paper
• Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
• Remove 3 bananas; cool completely
• Peel and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• Bake the remaining 2 bananas at 350° for an additional 20 minutes
• Carefully peel and place the 2 bananas in a small bowl, and mash with a fork until smooth
• Combine milk and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat
• Bring to a simmer (do not boil)
• Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk
• Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk
• Return milk mixture to pan
• Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly
• Remove from heat
• Add mashed bananas, butter, and vanilla, stirring until butter melts
• Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until mixture comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally
• Fold half of whipped topping into pudding
• Spread 1 cup custard evenly over the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish
• Top with 20 vanilla wafers and half of the banana slices
• Spoon half of remaining custard over banana
• Repeat procedure with 20 wafers, banana slices, and custard
• Spread remaining half of whipped topping evenly over top
• Crush remaining 5 wafers; sprinkle over top
• Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled

Serves 10
Happy Feasting!

Goat Cheese Biscuits

I could put goat cheese in or on anything - salads, omelettes, pasta, pizza, the list goes on and on. So why had I not thought of adding it to biscuits? I am not sure. But, I can now attest that this recipe is amazing and will become a staple side in our house. Enjoy these biscuits with brunch or dinner. We ate them with curried sweet potato soup and they were perfect!

Source: Love and Olive Oil

You Will Need:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp (2 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 4 Tbsp (2 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, for the pan
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted to top the biscuits

Here We Go:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt
• With your fingers incorporate the butter and goat cheese until the flour resembles a coarse, pebbly mixture
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk
• With a fork, mix together the buttermilk and flour until all of the dry flour disappears
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan or in the microwave and set aside
• Remove the cast iron from the oven and place one tablespoon of butter in it
• Work the pat of butter around, greasing the entire pan, including the sides
• Quickly drop the batter by 1/4-cup onto the non-stick baking sheet spacing biscuits somewhat evenly
• Brush with melted butter
• Bake for 14-16 minutes or until slightly golden in color
• Remove from the oven
• Let rest for 5 minutes and serve warm

Makes 8
Happy Feasting!

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

As delicious as this soup is to eat, I hope that this is the last hearty winter recipe that I have to make. Daylight savings started today and that signals to me that spring is right around the corner and when I get out of work it will still be light outside - things are lookin' up! If there is one final dish that will let you end your winter on a high note, this is the soup. Serve this full flavored soup with goat cheese biscuits and soak up the last days of winter.

Source: Love and Olive Oil

You Will Need:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onions
• 1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or slightly more as needed.
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 to 8 tsp goat cheese

Here We Go:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat
• Add the onions and saute until the onions are soft and begin to brown, about 10 minutes
• Add the garlic and saute, stirring for 30 seconds
• Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and red pepper flakes
• Finally, add the sweet potatoes and broth and bring to a boil
• Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes
• Puree the soup, in batches in a blender or food processor
• Season to taste
• The soup can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge and reheat over low
• If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock
• Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese

Makes 6 Servings
Happy Feasting!