Penne Alla Vodka

Who doesn't love Penne Alla Vodka?  It's the best of both worlds.  It's like a tomato based and cream based sauce got married and then had a wild honeymoon with some vodka.  I mean, hello?!?!  So yummy!!  I like to add red pepper flakes to mine, being a spicy Texan and all, but you could most certainly leave those out if you'd like.  It's a pretty straight forward recipe, super easy and pretty fast.  On this one I again used a brown rice penne, for a gluten free meal, but a regular pasta would be great as well.

Penne Alla Vodka:
4-6 servings


1lb penne pasta
1/4c. extra virgin olive oil
2/3c. vodka
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 med., onion, chopped fine
1/4-1tsp red pepper flakes
1c. heavy whipping cream
1c. tomato sauce
3/4c. parmigiano reggiano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and liberally salt for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions and reserve 1/2c of the pasta water when done. Meanwhile while the pasta is cooking,  heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in the onion and garlic and cook until tender, stirring often for about 5 minutes.  Add in the vodka (stand back and don't breathe in and don't ask how I know that. Lol.) Stir and cook down for about 4 minutes to cook some of the alcohol out.  Stir in your tomato sauce, cream and red pepper flakes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and reduce heat and simmer, stirring often until the pasta is cooked.   You are free to leave it as is or if you prefer a smoother sauce you could use an immersion blender to puree.  I just leave it as is. When the pasta is done cooking add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to combine, add in your parmigiano reggiano cheese and toss again.  Add in a little of the reserved pasta water if pasta is too dry.  Serve in bowls with extra cheese and red pepper flakes if desired.

Fettuccine with Prosciutto and Orange

I got this recipe from the May edition of Bon Appétit.  It sounds like a weird combo doesn't it? Prosciutto and Orange with pasta??  I thought so too!  But I like weird, or as I like to say different.  So I gave it a try back in May and absolutely loved it, and have been making it at least once a month since then!  So I figured I would share it with y'all so you could try it as well.  It is super fast and easy to make.  I will post the recipe the way I did it.  I changed it up a bit.  It calls for fresh tagliatelle or fettuccine, so that could make it really fast if you can find that.  I however chose to use brown rice fettuccine (14oz.) for a gluten free meal.  I also pretty much doubled the rest of the ingredients.  So here is my version.  If you'd like to see the original just go to Epicurious and search tagliatelle with prosciutto and orange.  I hope will give this a try!!

Fettuccine with Prosciutto and Orange:
4 good size portions


12-14oz fettuccine or tagliatelle pasta (fresh if you can find it)
4T butter
3.5oz-4oz prosciutto, cut into bite size pieces
2 oranges, zested and juiced
1c. heavy whipping cream
1/2c. parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste(optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season well with salt.  Add in your pasta and cook according to the package directions.  Stop cooking one minute before al dente.  Drain and reserve 1/2c. of the pasta water.

While your pasta cooks, heat a skillet & melt your butter over medium heat and add in your prosciutto.  Stir until the prosciutto is crisp and brown about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the orange juice, cream, half the zest and reserved pasta water.  Bring to a slight boil and then add in your pasta.  Stirring to incorporate and coat the fettuccine just for a minute or so.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.  Stir in the cheese and remaining zest and serve.

Italian Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup

Well it's December and it has been cloudy and cold.  Shocking, I know.  So what is better on a cold, cloudy day than a bowl of hot, steamy soup?  Yeah, nothing.... Lol.  This is a soup I adapted from a recipe I found online and have been making for a few years now and it is very hearty and actually pretty healthy. You can make it even healthier by substituting chicken or turkey sausage for the Italian sausage.


Italian Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup:
6 Very Large Servings or 8 Normal Ones

1T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1lb Italian Sausage, casings removed and cut into bite size pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
2 bunches of kale, rinsed, stemmed and torn or cut into bite size pieces
1T paprika
1tsp dried basil
1tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
8c Chicken stock
2 bay leaves
6c potatoes, peeled and cubed ( more or less depending on how chunky you like your soup)
red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven, add the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 8-9 minutes.  Add in your garlic and stir for another minute.  Put the red bell pepper and the sausage in and cook, stirring often until the sausage starts to brown, about another 5 minutes.  To the mixture add in the paprika, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary, stirring for one minute. Add in the chicken stock and potatoes.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add in the chopped kale, stirring until it is wilted down.  Bring the pot back to a boil and then reduce to simmer again for 10 minutes just until the kale is tender.  Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs... What's not to love?  In case you're wondering, that was a rhetorical question. Lol.  They are so good!! Beef, pork, bacon... I mean, come on!!!  This is a great recipe I found in September's  Bon Appétit.  My guys devour this every time I make it, eating two or sometimes three servings.  So I'm going to give y'all the link so you can try it out.  You can serve it with egg noodles, or rice.  I pretty much stick to the recipe, I adjust the seasoning amounts a little bit, and add an extra piece of bacon or two.  I also double the gravy.  We like gravy!! A LOT!  So here ya go.  Y'all enjoy!!!


Swedish Meatballs:


http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Swedish-Meatballs-367157

Balsamic-Garlic-Rosemary Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

If you haven't figured it out by now, my favorite piece of meat to grill is pork tenderloin. It always ends up so tender and juicy and the flavor combinations are almost endless.  I adapted this recipe from a Weight Watchers recipe. The flavor combo  is amazing!!  Tonight I served it with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes seasoned with Truffle Salt and Pepper, and Green Beans. Obviously if you're watching your calories the mashed potatoes are a no-no. Lol. So since fall is upon us why don't ya fire up your grill and give this recipe a shot?

Balsamic-Garlic-Rosemary Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin:
Serves 6-8

2T balsamic vinegar
1/4c soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
1T brown sugar
2T fresh rosemary, chopped finely
2T extra virgin olive oil
1tsp ground mustard powder
1tsp fresh ginger root, minced
2 1lb pork tenderloins

Mix the first eight ingredients in a gallon zip top bag. Rinse and pat the pork tenderloins dry. Place them in the bag with the marinade.  Make sure the pork gets covered with the marinade, and remove as much air from the bag as you can and seal. Place in a flat container in the bottom of your refrigerator and marinate turning occasionally for at least 8 hours.  An hour before you're ready to grill, take the pork tenderloins out of the fridge and let them come up to room temperature.  Get your grill hot.  I have a gas grill, so I set mine on high with the lid closed.  After you've taken the chill off the pork. Place it on the grill over direct heat. (RESERVE THE MARINADE!!!!)   Grill on each side for 3 minutes (it kinda turns into a rectangle so 4 sides, 12 minutes).  Then move the tenderloins over to indirect heat and cook until a thermometer reads 145° in the thickest part. Remove the pork to a platter and tent with foil rest for 10 minutes.  While the pork is resting take the reserved marinade and place in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil (important to kill the bacteria) and boil for 4 minutes to reduce to almost a glaze consistency.  Slice the tenderloins into 1/2 inch medallions and drizzle the sauce over.

Italian Sausage and Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers

This is a tasty and simple meal to make, and is a nice change from a stuffed bell pepper. My son and his friend came back for seconds and even thirds! Even though it's in a poblano it really isn't spicy at all. If you'd like it spicier (like me), just add more hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!




Italian Sausage and Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers:


4 Large Poblano Peppers, halved and seeded
1lb Italian Sausage, bulk or remove from casings
1T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 1/2c. Cooked Rice
2 Medium Tomatoes, diced
1tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp hot sauce ( your fav, as little or as much as you want)
Salt and Pepper
2c Cheddar and Pepper Jack Cheese combo (or your favorite)

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the sausage and onion, till sausage is cooked through and onion is soft. Add the dried spices, hot sauce, and garlic, stirring for one minute. Turn off the heat and add in the rice and tomatoes. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Place the pepper on a baking sheet and fill them with the rice mixture. Top them with cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve with the sides of your choice.

Zucchini "Fettuccine" with Tomatoes, Basil and Walnuts

So I've been studying up on the benefits of raw food, thanks to some great mentors on Twitter. The health benefits are amazing! I was afraid I would be bored or that it wouldn't be flavorful, but this is just one example that it is neither. I still got to have my "kitchen time" and it was packed with flavor. I adapted this from Food Network's Magazine from September. It's got my brain going a mile a minute thinking of what other pasta dishes I can sub raw zucchini or squash for. This is fun!! Best part is you don't have to know how to cook to make it and you don't have to turn the stove or the oven on, which is nice considering it was 91 today. I hope y'all will have an open mind and give it a try because it's a nice change of pace, and you can eat a whole bowl and not feel guilty or bloated.. #WINNING!!!

Zucchini "Fettuccine" with Tomatoes, Basil and Walnuts
Serves 4

4 large zucchini or yellow summer squash
Kosher salt
5 medium vine-ripe tomatoes
1/4c Extra virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, or 1/2 if you want less garlic
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4c chopped raw walnuts (or your choice, pine nuts etc.)
1/4c chopped fresh basil + more for topping about 1/2c total
1.5tsp fresh oregano, chopped
Fresh ground pepper

Trim and peel the zucchini. Then using a mandoline(if you have one) or a veggie peeler, make long wide stips. Stop when you get to the seeds. Cut the ribbons into strips the size of fettuccine, about 1/4" wide. Put them in a colander and toss with 3/4tsp of kosher salt. Let sit and drain over the sink or a bowl for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

While that is draining, Peel one tomato put that into a blender with the jalapeno, garlic, olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl.

Core the rest of the tomatoes, cut in half and squeeze out the seeds. Chop the tomatoes and put them in the bowl with the sauce. Add in your basil, oregano, walnuts and season to taste with salt and pepper.

After 30 minutes. Rinse the zucchini and gently squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel. Separate the noodles a bit by hand and put them in the sauce and combine well. Garnish with the extra basil.

Tip: Try to have your produce at room temperature. If you want it warmer you could put the bowl of pasta in a larger bowl of warm water. Like a water bath, you get the gist.

Sopa de Pedra

So I was going through my ginormous collection of recipes, and I came across one I printed out from Rachael Ray's show from 2007 called Rock Soup (Sopa de Pedra). Obviously from the name I didn't have a clue what was in it, but as I read down the ingredients I thought it sounded really good. It's a yummy Portuguese style soup with Spanish Chorizo and Garbanzo beans. It was perfect on this unseasonally chilly evening. I changed the amounts on some of the ingredients and added wine (because wine is good). I hope y'all will give it a try in spite of it's name.

Sopa de Pedra (Rock Soup):
Serves 6

2T Olive Oil
1lb Spanish Chorizo(remove the casings and dice)
2 large Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
4 stalks of Celery, chopped
5 small-medium sized Carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 large or 2 medium Onions, diced
2tsp Paprika
2tsp Cumin
6 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Bay leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2c dry red wine
1 can Chickpeas (15oz) Drained
1 can Stewed Tomatoes (cut up into smaller pieces
2-3TB Hot Sauce (such as Franks) I used 3Tb of Franks x-hot
6c Chicken stock
2c Stale crusty bread, cut or torn into bite size pieces
1 small bunch Cilantro, chopped

In a large pot over medium heat, add the EVOO. Add the chorizo and saute for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Add in the potatoes, celery, onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and cook until onions and celery start to soften, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Add in the chickpeas, tomatoes, hot sauce, and broth. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer the soup until the potatoes and vegetables are soft to your liking. About 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Place some bread in the bottom of a bowl, and ladle soup on top. Garnish with cilantro.

Moussaka

So tonight I made Moussaka again. Yum!!! It's warm, rich and just down right delish!! Have y'all ever decided what you're going to make for dinner, just to go to the store and find out they don't have some of your main ingredients? Or go to more than one store and they STILL don't have them? Yup! That was my issue this week. Normally my Moussaka is made with ground lamb (not in stock) and eggplant (not one in the county). So what's a girl to do? When you live 20 minutes from the nearest store, it's not like you can go home and pick another meal to make and go back. Not with gas prices this high. Sooo, instead of scratching the meal from the menu I thought okay, I'll substitute ground beef for the lamb, and zucchini for the eggplant. Boy, am I glad I did! It turned out great! Hubby said he actually prefers the zucchini to the eggplant. Who would've thunk it? LOL! So here's the recipe and remember to always be open to substituting ingredients if you can't find them or don't like them. If you make this I would do it on the weekend and give yourself about 3 hours give or take. Enjoy!

Moussaka:

3 eggplants or 3 lbs Zucchini, sliced lengthwise (eggplant 1/2"slice or zucchini 1/4" slices)
2lbs ground lamb (or beef)
3 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3TB tomato pate
3/4c dry red wine
3TB parsley, chopped
1/2-3/4tsp ground cinnamon( depending on your taste)
dash of cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
equal amounts of butter and oil to fry eggplant/zucchini
4TB butter to cook with meat for sauce
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4c dry bread crumbs
1c Parmesan cheese
Bechamel sauce (recipe follows)

Salt the eggplant/zucchini lightly and sit on a cooling rack or colander to drain some of the liquid out for about 20 minutes. Rinse them quickly and press dry. Heat the oil/butter over med-high heat and fry the eggplant/zucchini quickly, until lightly brown. Set aside on a papertowl lined plate. In a large skillet heat 4TB of butter and add your meat and brown. Add your onions and garlic, and saute for about 10 minutes until the onions are soft. Mix the tomato sauce into the wine. Add the wine mixture, cinnamon, parsley, salt and pepper to the beef. Simmer over low heat stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let cool. Once it is cool mix in the eggs.
Assemble Moussaka in a buttered 9x13" pan. Sprinkle 1/2c of breadcrumbs over the bottom of the dish. Combine the remaining breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese. Layer the pan with 1/2 the eggplant/zucchini, 1/2 the bechamel, 1/2 the cheese/breadcrumbs, all the meat sauce. Repeat other 1/2 eggplant/zucchini, 1/2 bechamel, and end with the cheese mixture. Bake at 375 degrees, for one hour or until the top is golden brown. Let it rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

Bechamel Sauce:
4TB Butter
6TB Flour
2c HOT whole milk (not cold)
2 egg yolks, beaten well
1/2tsp salt (or to taste)
Dash of nutmeg

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat, add the flour and stir for a minute or two. Add the hot milk in slowly, wisking constantly. Continue to cook over low heat until smooth and thickend. Remove from the heat add the salt and nutmeg. Then stir the egg yolks in. Combine well.

Tater Tot Casserole

Okay, so this week I decided to do a little throw back to some old school recipes. Nothing fancy or gourmet. Just yummy, soul satisfying food. Today, Tater Tot Casserole. Yum! Simple, sassy and satisfying! Ha!! Notice I did not say healthy. LOL! If you like meat and potatoes, then I bet you will like this. Here ya go!

Tater Tot Casserole:
serves 4-6

1 Bag frozen Tater Tots 32oz
1 1/2-2lbs ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Rotel tomatoes
Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
salt and pepper
2c. Shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese

Heat oven and cook Tater tots according to package directions. While they are baking, brown your ground beef over medium heat, and add in your onion and garlic. Cook until beef is browned and cooked through, and onions are tender. Season the meat to taste with Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir in the soups and Rotel and let simmer while the Tots are cooking. When the Tots are done baking remove from oven and reduce heat to 350. Spray a 9x9" pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with tots to make a nice crust. Pour in your beef mixture over the tots, and cover with remaining tots. Top with the cheddar cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. I garnished mine with some sliced scallions and served with a side of salsa.

Braised Short Ribs with a Rosemary infused Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction

I'm baaaaack! Sorry for the prolonged break, but it's kinda hard to blog on a phone. My laptop bit the dust a while back. Have no fear my new laptop is here! Haha!! Today I have an awesome main meat course for you. These short ribs are so tender, juicy and flavorful!! Best part? They cook in the crock-pot all day! That's right! With just a few minutes of prep in the morning, you can come home to a house that smells phenomenal. All you have to do is just reduce the sauce and make a few sides to go with it. I opted for Sauteed Brussels sprouts and Mashed Potatoes. Yum! So I'll stop rambling now so you can read the recipe. Y'all enjoy!

Braised Short Ribs with a Rosemary infused Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction:Serves 6

1T Olive oil
4-5lbs Bone-in Beef Short Ribs
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2c dry red wine (not cooking wine) something you would drink
1/3c balsamic vinegar
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Pat the ribs dry and brown them well on all sides in the skillet. You will probably have to do them in a couple of batches, so you don't overcrowd the pan. Place the browned ribs into the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add your rosemary sprigs. Drain off all but 1 Tablespoon of oil from your pan. Add your minced garlic and saute for about one minute. (don't let it burn.) Pour in your wine and vinegar, to deglaze your pan, scraping any yummy brown bits off the bottom. Bring sauce to a simmer and pour over the ribs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until ribs are very tender.
Remove the ribs from the slow cooker, discard any loose bones and the rosemary. Cover the ribs and keep them warm. Skim off the fat from the liquid, and pour the sauce into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces and is slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over ribs and serve.