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!"

Saturday

Farfalle with salmon sauce (recipe in the comments)
Herb salad

Hot tea
Pecan Sandies (actually knock offs of Pecan Sandies, but you get the idea)
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We don't eat meals like the double decker tacos from yesterday very often and, boy, afterwards we need a quick and sure return to a more normal eating style. This is a new recipe, but was certain to fit the bill. A light, spicy red sauce for pasta with some salmon for body. The original recipe wasn't spicy enough, didn't contain enough garlic, and had no red wine, BUT it was a great inspiration for us. In the end, this turned out to be a lot like trollop pasta, one of our favorites. It's a bit weird that they're so similar, because other than fish and tomatoes they have dissimilar ingredients. One would think a sauce made with olives and capers would be very different from one without, but actually, no. Anyway,a yummy meal that brought us back to basics.

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Easy
Chopping: Garlic, parsley
Time: 35 minutes
Make ahead: Make the sauce ahead and toss with fresh pasta.

Reaction
J: "A return to our regularly scheduled cuisine."
M: "A new twist on a classic."