Godfather II Linguine

I am sure my friend J.V. would have some appropriate quote from the Godfather to go along with this meal...at any rate...this is a superb dish for two (thank you Saveur Magazine for the basic ingredients)

INGREDIENTS:
Kosher salt, to taste
8 oz dried linguine
.5 cup extra virgin olive oil
.5 cup red bell pepper
.5 cup yellow bell pepper
5 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 small onion (white or yellow) finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
8 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 tbsp unsalted butter
8 large shrimp, peeled, deveined
8 large basil leaves, shredded
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook 1 minute less than al-dente (8 - 10 minutes). Drain pasta and reserve 1 cup liquid.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add peppers, garlic, onion and cook for about 5 minutes (until they start to soften)
4. Add wine and mussels, cover, cook about 2 minutes until mussels open.
5. Add reserved pasta water, tomatoes, butter, and shrimp and cook about 1 minute until the shrimp are pink.
6. Add cooked linguine, toss to combine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta.
7. Stir in basil and season with salt & pepper.
8. Divide pasta between two bowls, sprinkle with more basil, and add cheese.

Note: Good idea on this to have the pasta almost cooked before starting the other items. You will add the pasta in step 6.

Hell's Backbone Grill

This blog would not be complete without including information on some of the very cool places I have had the opportunity to eat. One of these is Hell's Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah (yes, Utah NOT Colorado).

I first read about the grill in Sunset magazine several years ago and finally made a trip there this summer. The owners earned their cooking experience in the kitchens of back-country outfitters and learned the hard way how to cook gourmet in a rugged setting. You can get more info on their website (below) but I will tell you that the restaurant is worth a special trip. As if the plethora of national parks and monuments in the area were not enough of an attraction, you can have a locally grown, contemplatively prepared, organic, tasty meal somewhere along your journey. They serve breakfast and dinner only so plan accordingly.

Photos
Hell's Backbone Grill
20 N Highway 12
Boulder, UT 84716
(435) 335-7464

Easy BBQ Chicken Skewers

INGREDIENTS:
Catsup
Honey
Chicken breast strips
(wooden skewers)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix catsup (1 cup???) with a tablespoon honey to make bbq sauce. Soak wooden skewers for about 10 minutes, then thread chicken tenders (I just cut up breasts into strips longways) onto skewers and put on grill. Baste with sauce on both sides.

This recipe was adapted from a book for kids, but adults seem to like it even more!