Clam Linguini

This is my mom's awesome recipe. She doesn't technically follow it and claims she never makes it the same way twice, but this is a great guide. Tweak it to your liking.

Ingredients:

*1 lb linguini
*1/4 cup olive oil
*1/4 cup butter
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*2 cans minced clams, juice reserved
*1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
*2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
*salt and pepper to taste
*1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large pot with boiling salted water, cook linguini until al dente. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook oil, butter, and garlic until garlic is translucent, approximately 1 minute. Add clams, reserved juice, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil. Simmer 3 minutes on low. Toss pasta with clam sauce and garnish with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

*To make red sauce, add 2 diced tomatoes when adding clams and spices.

Pasta with Five Fresh Herbs

This recipe is from Cooking Light, August 2005. Very flavorful. Technically, mine should have been called "Pasta with Three Fresh Herbs and Two Dried" since I didn't have fresh oregano or thyme on hand. The substitution of dried herbs worked very well, though (1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried herbs). I also used fettuccine instead of penne and tomato and basil infused feta for the goat cheese.

Ingredients:

*1 pound uncooked penne rigate
*4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
*1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
*1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*2 pints fresh cherry tomatoes
*1 garlic clove, minced
*1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
*1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
*1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
*1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Place in a large bowl. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil, basil, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to hot pasta, and toss well to combine.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chives and thyme; sauté 1 additional minute or until tomatoes are slightly charred and skins are just beginning to burst. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook over high heat 1 minute. Add tomato mixture and parsley to pasta; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese; serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups pasta and about 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)