Clam Sauce Spaghetti

This is one of my go-to meals for a weeknight when I'm tired and need something easy.  It's simple, creamy, delicious pasta that fills those hungry bellies and makes people want to know how you're so amazing. 

You Need:

2 T. olive oil
1 bunch green onions
2 c. white wine
1 pint cream
1 can sliced olives
2 cans chopped or whole clams, drained
Spaghetti noodles (I use about 10 ounces for my family.)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Cut the green ends of the green onions into 2-inch pieces.  Heat in the olive oil.

Remove the green onions from the oil when browned.  They'll look like this:

Discard these onions.  These just help to begin the flavor of the sauce to develop.

Pour in the 2 cups of white wine.

Let simmer on medium heat until it is reduced by half and it turns cloudy.

Start your water for the noodles now.  Cook them according to package directions.  By the time they are cooked, the sauce should be ready.  Quickly whisk in the cream.  Simmer on medium until thickened.  The bubbles will start to get bigger as the sauce gets thicker.

 

 Slice the green onions that are left (the white parts).  Add the green onions, olives, and drained clams to the cream sauce. 

Drain the pasta and coat with the sauce.

Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Here's the whole plate of deliciousness.

Here's a close-up of the sauce-y noodles and good stuff.  This is a happy, loving, comfort food that will make you feel warm and fuzzy all over. 

Lasagna Fake-Out

My kids love lasagna.  I hate how long it takes.  Once in a great while, I'll resort to frozen, but I really don't like it.  This easy recipe has all the great flavors of lasagna, MUCH less time, and has spinach hidden in there for nutritional value.  Big score for moms here!

You need:

1 box medium-large style pasta (shells, penne, rotini)
2 T. olive oil
1 box frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and wrung out in a towel
3 T. butter
1/2 onion chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes (Total of 28 ozs.)
1 c. (or one container) Ricotta cheese
1 c. Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
dash nutmeg (freshly grated, preferably)

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook pasta according to package directions, but about one-two minutes shy of the recommended cooking time.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.  Saute the onion for 2 minutes, or until golden.

Add the spinach to the skillet.

Add about 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Remove the spinach to a small bowl.  Add canned tomatoes to the pan.  Bring to a simmer and let thicken slightly.

Add basil to sauce.  Let simmer while you spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  Drain cooked pasta and return to the pot.  Add the spinach mixture to the noodles

Add the Parmesan and ricotta cheese to the noodles.  Stir well.

Spread this mixture into the prepared pan. 

Pour the sauce over the top of the noodles.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes, or until it is piping hot with melty, bubbly cheese on top.  I forgot to take a picture of the dish right out of the oven.  We served ours with green salad and garlic bread.

This is yummy comfort food, and is seriously done in about half an hour.  That's less time than it takes to cook a frozen one!!!