Clams Casino Grilled Pizza

Inspired by a classic coastal appetizer, this tasty Clams Casino Grilled Pizza will quickly become your new go-to for backyard cookouts...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SeaPak. All opinions & text expressed below are 100% my own.

Let me introduce you all to new summertime obsession- grilled pizzas! Homemade pizza is usually on our meal plan rotation at least once or twice a month, but I usually pop them in the oven to bake. But with the temps (& humidity) rising more and more each day as we inch closer and closer to the official start of summer, I decided to try something new with our usual pizza night a couple of weeks ago. I left the oven off and cranked on the gas grill instead. I have to confess that I was totally nervous about grilling my first pizza. I was scared that I would burn it or that the dough would fall through the grill grates, or that I would scorch the outside of the pizza crust while the inside remained all doughy. But nope! It was crazy easy and just as quick if not quicker than traditional oven pizza baking. :)

This particular grilled pizza was inspired by a classic coastal appetizer that is said to have originated in 1917 at a casino (thus the name) in Rhode Island. Traditional Clams Casino consists of clams on the half shell that are topped with bread crumbs, butter, and bacon and then are baked or broiled. For this Clams Casino Grilled Pizza, I kept all of the traditional elements of the original recipe but threw it all on a pizza crust and added a homemade white pizza sauce and fresh bell peppers. Since the SeaPak Clam Strips come already breaded, there was no need to throw bread crumbs on top. I just love ingredients that can serve dual purposes in a recipe! :)

18 Out of the Box Grilling Recipes

From pizza to fondue to desserts, these 18 Out of the Box Grilling Recipes will have you rethinking those usual burgers & hot dogs...

With back to school peeking its head around the corner (my son goes back in less than 3 weeks!), we are all over here clinging on to these summer days as long as we can. Honestly, it just feels weird even uttering the words "back to school" near the end of July. But it is coming, folks. And it seems to come earlier just about every school year. Am I right on this one?

But that doesn't mean that I am ready to give up summer yet! I'm not going to pack away the beach balls and sunscreen and trade them in for back packs and school books just yet. 

Let's keep summer rolling just as long as we can with some lazy pool days, starlit evenings making s'mores around a fire pit, and backyard BBQ's. By now you may be tired of the usual burgers, hot dogs, and barbecued chicken, so let's flip the grilling script for these last few weeks of summer break with these 18 Out of the Box Grilling Recipes... ;)

Foodie on a Budget- Italian Marinated Flank Steak with Fresh Herbs

During my most recent visit to the local farmers market, my husband and I purchased flank steak from a local cattle farm.  Flank steak is not usually the most desirable cut of beef, I know.  But it is extremely affordable and with the proper marinating, can be just about as tender as a filet mignon.  The farm we purchased our steak from raises grass-fed cattle, free of growth hormones and antibiotics- what I like to call the “good stuff”. 

In a prior visit to the market, I had picked up basil and parsley plants from a local greenhouse and a jar of local honey. 

So what can I make with grass-fed flank steak, my own basil and parsley, and local honey?  An amazing Italian Marinated Flank Steak with Fresh Herbs.  This flank steak has a great flavor (no steak sauce needed) and is so tender that a steak knife is not required.  Just in time for the summer grilling season. 

To make my Marinated Flank Steak, you will need:

• 1.5 lb flank steak
• 1 small shallot (or 2 cloves of garlic), finely chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup of red wine (or balsamic vinegar)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup local honey
• 7-8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• Small handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• ½ tsp of black pepper
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Whisk together the shallot (or garlic), olive oil, red wine (or balsamic vinegar), soy sauce, honey, basil, parsley, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl.  

Pierce both sides of the flank steak repeatedly using a fork.  Place the flank steak in a gallon size freezer bag.  Pour the marinade mixture over the steak in the bag and seal.  Massage the marinade into the steak, and then place in the fridge.  I marinated my flank steak for 8 hours, but you could marinate it anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.  Once the steak is marinated, take it out of the bag and season it with salt and pepper.  Cook over a hot grill for about 4-6 minutes on each side.  It is best to cook a flank steak medium-rare to medium.  Cooking it more done than medium will result in a tougher steak.  When the flank steak is cooked to your preference, let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes before slicing.  This will ensure that that the juices stay put where they are supposed to be- in the steak.  Slice the steak in ½ inch slices diagonally against the grain of the steak, and serve immediately.