It’s hard to believe, in these days of dual incomes, that there was once a time when women stayed home from work and cooked dinner for their husbands night after night. For many young married couples who work all day and don’t yet have children to worry about, pizza and Tai food have replaced lasagnas and slow-cooked stews, and the fancy kitchen appliances you got for your bridal shower mostly just gather dust in the closet. If you’re a fledgling cook who’s tired of take-out, never fear; the next time you and your spouse are looking to unwind over a delicious pasta dinner, you don’t need to call the nearest Italian place. Try one of these simple, straight-out-of-pantry recipes.
Linguine with White Clam Sauce
4 cans minced clams, undrained
9 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup olive oil (enough to cover bottom of the pan)
3 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup dry white wine
1 tbsp (or 3 shakes) Italian seasoning
1lb linguine, cooked and drained
Sauté garlic in olive oil until garlic sizzles. Add lemon juice, white wine, and Italian seasonings. Add clam juice, set clams aside. Simmer about 15 minutes. Add minced clams in the last 5 minutes (so they aren’t tough). Serve over linguine.
Spaghetti and Peas
1 can peas (about 15 oz, undrained)
1 onion
2 tbsp tomato sauce
½ cup olive oil (enough to cover bottom of the pan)
1lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
Sauté onion in olive oil, 1-2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and juice from peas. Heat to boiling. Lower flame to simmer and add peas. Heat thoroughly. Serve over spaghetti.
Shrimp Scampi
1 lb shrimp (frozen, precooked is easiest)
3 tbsp butter
9 cloves of garlic, minced
2/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp (or 3 shakes) Italian seasoning
1lb linguine, cooked and drained
If using frozen shrimp, thaw according to package directions.
Sauté garlic in olive oil until garlic sizzles. Add lemon juice, butter, white wine, and Italian seasonings. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Add shrimp, sauté 3 minutes. Serve over linguine.
All of these recipes serve 3-4 people, so if you’re cooking just for you and your spouse, pack up the leftovers and take them for lunch the next day. With delicious meals this easy to make, who knows? You just might give up pizza for good.
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