Pork Scallopini w/Garlic and Parmesan Pasta

Family favorite time!  This actually is a recipe I thought I blogged LONG ago.  I realized I never had and it was what we had for Sunday supper last night!  I love sharing our family favorites with you guys.  It makes me feel like I am spreading the love for my family to you and yours!  Sunday supper is a big deal in our family as most of you already know.  I believe strongly in starting the week out with a big family meal, it grounds us, reminds of what is really important in our lives and gives us a chance to talk about the week.  We reminisce, laugh, visit, eat great food and spend time with the people we love.  Friends OR family alike.   I encourage everyone to eat around the table with their children and families.  I don't care WHAT you eat, just do it with your kids!   I don't care if kids live with one parent or 2, grandparents, aunts and uncles, or foster parents,  I believe it teaches them to care about others, cope, problem solve and know they have someone they can trust to talk about anything to.  I get busy parents, long hours at work and just wanting some down time.  But guess what.....it is a labor of love!

Anyway, off  of my soapbox.  Scallopini can be made with chicken, pork or veal most commonly.  I like it best with pork.  Scallopini just means it is thin, pounded very thin with a meat mallet.  I used a pork tenderloin for this.  I almost always do.  You know those big huge ones that go on sale somewhere pretty often?  I cut them into 3 or 4 pieces and Ziploc those babies into the freezer.  Anyway I cut about 1 inch slices and then pounded them out.  I used about a 3 lb piece.  It made about 8 pieces.  It also has a gorgeous wine sauce that gets spooned over the top!

Here is what you will need for the Pork Scallopini 
Pork loin or boneless chops,  pound thin. 
1 cup flour
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper

Mix these dry ingredients up to use as your dredge.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Heat a skillet up with 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter.  Dip each piece of pork into the flour mixture, one side and then the other, pressing down to get as much stuck to the pork as possible.  Fry 2-3 minutes on each side.  Put on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.  Do this until all pork is fried!  DO NOT burn any of it because you will use the drippings and "stuff" left in the pan for your pan sauce!

Sauce:
2 cups white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp fresh parsley (dried is fine if you don't have fresh or leave it out if you don't care for it)
1 tbsp butter

While pan is still hot from frying your pork, deglaze with white wine.  Using a wooden paddle spoon or something with a flat edge, scrape up the bits off the bottom while it is bubbling.  Add in chicken stock and let simmer uncovered until reduced by half and shut off the heat  Add in butter and parsley before serving.  There won't be alot, this isn't a gravy, it is just meant to get a spoonful drizzled over the meat.  If you feel you want more, it is easy to just increase your ingredients!

Parmesan Pasta:
1 lb any long pasta.  Spaghetti, fettuchini, linguine, angel hair, whatever you choose!
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  While it is draining, in the empty pot, add butter and olive oil, and garlic.  Put it back on your warm burner and turn on low.  Stir until butter is melted and the "bite" has cooked out of the garlic.  Add your pasta back in and toss it with the the mixture.  Add in cheese and toss again.  Serve with your scallopini!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!!

Your "miss having my kids and granddaughter for Sunday supper" chefwannabe

Linguine in Clam Sauce

I realized the other day, that I have never blogged anything with seafood.  This has a couple of explanations.  I mostly hate seafood.  I only like lobster and crab legs.  I don't have enough money in the bank for the amount of crab legs I generally WANT to eat, and lobster is so expensive I usually just eat it out, same price and half the work right?  Anyway, my husband is an avid seafood lover, growing up all over the world but much of his adult life spent on the eastern shore.  Of course he loves clams.  I mean, LOVES clams.  After moving to Nebraska, I did find a great place for seafood, some seafood.

Truth be told, I suck at cleaning clams.  I know all the right things to do, however, I seem to always end up still with a little bit of grit in my sauce.  Some say, deal with it, that is normal.  No way, I can't stand it!    My husband told me with great deal of trepidation that he prefers it made with canned clams anyway.  What?  I never have to clean clams again?  Seriously?  Awesome honey, I LOVE YOU!  I love the look of the real clams, I really do.  But as far as easier and faster, canned clams it is friends!  

This dish is so easy.  I know, some purists say absolutely NO cheese, but I do use some Parmesan cheese.  Not the stuff they sweep off the floor, GOOD Parmesan!  I urge you to give it a try.  Some of the ingredients might seem, "off" to you but, it is sooooo good!  Just trust me on this one, would ya?  You can make the sauce in a different pan and have it done by the time or before your pasta is cooked.


 Linguine With Clam Sauce
1 lb pkg linguine
2 6.5 ounce cans of clams.  DO NOT DRAIN!
5 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup white wine (your fav)
1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook your pasta according to package directions in WELL salted water.  Make sure to use a big enough pot.  So many times people cook so much pasta in such a small pot!  Pasta needs room to groove!  

In a medium sauce pan or high sided skillet type pan, add in butter, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic.  

Stir constantly for 30-45 seconds.  Add in wine, stock and clams (do NOT drain their liquid).  Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly to avoid burning.  

Let the sauce reduce uncovered and then add linguine back into sauce.  Add in Parmesan cheese, parsley and toss!  Serve with some crusty bread to soak up the sauce!!

Feel free to use more clams if you like.  I just used the 2 cans I had purchased but I might have used more had I had them on hand.  I would NOT use whole grain pasta with this.  Of course you all should now by know I loathe whole grain pasta and I think the taste would completely overpower the delicate flavors of wine, butter and clams.  If you choose to do it, I can't stop you, OR guarantee the final taste of the dish!  So there!


I hope you enjoy my first seafood recipe.  Can we have a moment to commemorate this event?  

Your "seafood savvy" chefwannabe

Chris