Thursday

Spicy linguini and red clam sauce (recipe in the comments from June 17, 2008)
Broccoli

Hot tea
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We discovered this recipe right before we moved to Buffalo and we LOVE it. The fresh linguini really makes a difference here and the spicy sauce is a perfect counterpoint to the clams. We are dyed in the wool linguini and white clam sauce folks, but this is a wonderful addition. We've made it at least once since moving here (when the blog was off-line), so this makes at least three times in the last 12 months - a high return rate for us. Of course, part of the reason here is that I knew mom would enjoy it and, indeed, she did! Oddly, something was different tonight - it seemed much more liquid-y. I'm not sure what was different. It was good regardless. Theo thinks this is a bit too spicy. Luckily, we brought seven boxes of leftovers home from O'Connell's last night :)

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Easy
Chopping: Onion, garlic, parsley, basil
Time: 25 minutes
Make ahead: Making the sauce early is fine, but do the pasta last minute.

Reaction
J: "This is another one that would be in our ten dinner rotation, if we were so inclined."
M: "A good twist on an old favorite."

Tuesday

Linguini with spicy red clam sauce (recipe in the comments)
Broccoli
Italian country rolls

Oatmeal raisin cookies
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M & I have a vermicelli and white clam sauce that we've been making for many years now. I think we first made it in college. Regardless, it's been a mainstay of the repertoire for a long time. I saw this recipe last summer for a spicy red version and thought,"That could be just different enough to be worth trying." INDEED, it was! What a great new recipe. The fresh pasta, spicy pepper, tomatoes, and fresh parsley make it totally different and totally wonderful. This is a new favorite that is easy enough to be perfect for very hectic nights. The original recipe doesn't make enough for any leftovers and to leave enough for T for tomorrow, both M and I ended up a bit hungry. We'll double it for later versions, leaving us with lots of leftovers for lunches.

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Easy
Chopping: Onion, garlic, parsley, basil
Time: 25 minutes
Make ahead: You could make the sauce early and reheat it while the pasta is cooking.

Reaction
J: "A new clam sauce!"
M: "This, you know, rocks the house!"