Anal Annie
at least I KNOW I'm a kook...I just can't help it
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2006
- Messages
- 13,926
Taxes. Ooh a dirty word if ever I heard one! I almost have the package ready for the accountant. Then it is the wait for the phone call. "Hello, Mrs. Knebel, you need to send in $13,945,954.56, one of your children and your right arm." (good thing I'm left handed.)
What's for dinner? Needing some new ideas...
Ahhh come on Cheri - you don't need BOTH arms do you? And what's one less child to clothe & feed?
Dinner...hummm...this week we are alternating between that vat of homemade vegetable beef soup I made and the gigantic meatloaf (yummy sandwiches now)!
Now, LAST week we did a double batch of beef strogonoff and Penne Alla Vodka - THAT was a hit! You would like the penne 'cuz there's no meat in it!
Check it out:
Ingredients
salt (to taste)
(1) 35 oz can of Italian plum tomatoes (preferably from San Marzano) with the liquid
(1) Lb box Penne pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Crushed hot red pepper
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 TBS unsalted butter or olive oil for finishing the sauce if you like
2 to 3 TBS chopped fresh Italian Parsley
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for passing if you like
(Makes 6 servings)
Directions:
Bring 6 quarts of water to boil in an 8-quart pot
Pour the tomatoes and their liquid into the work bowl of a food processor or blender. Using quick on / off pulses, process the tomatoes JUST until they are finely chopped. (Long processing will aerate the tomatoes, turning them pink).
Stir the penne into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, until done 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the hot oil. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the garlic is lightly browned (about 3-5 min.). Lower the work bowl (or blender) with the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully (or they will splatter) slide the tomatoes into the pan. Bring to a boil, season lightly with salt and generously with the crushed red pepper, and boil 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, and simmer until the pasta is ready.
Just before the pasta is done, fish out the garlic cloves. Pour in the heavy cream. Add 2 TBS of butter or olive oil. Swirl the skillet to incorporate into the sauce. If the skillet is big enough, put the pasta into the sauce. If not, add the sauce to the drained pasta and bring to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Add more salt and crushed pepper if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley. Heat until sauce is reduced enough to cling to the pasta. Remove from pot or skillet and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of cheese - toss to mix. Serve immediately.
Voila! It's quite tasty. Now. This is how the recipe was given to me. I personally have decided I don't care for the fresh parsley. I like fresh basil and fresh cilantro but IMO the parlsey is a bit strong or something I can't put my finger on. I would use the McCormick dried stuff next time. As far as whacking the garlic goes...ummm. Good luck with that!
I felt like an idiot beating the stuff so I ended up slicing it into big hunks to saute. I am not sure what the whacking is supposed to accomplish?
But overall it is a pretty easy recipe and my boys really liked it!
I'd have to stay out of the gym for a week. (I know you take it out but still.)
Come on! It's only 1/2 cup in that whole batch of sauce! It covers a whole box of pasta! So that works out to like what? 1/2 teas. per serving!? We love garlic - this only flavors the oil a little bit. I don't think it's as strong as using crushed garlic & leaving it in! Really. It's subtle.
Luckily they had something wrong (DH cashed in stock options and they counted the full amount of that, not the actual amount we got). So according to his HR rep a simple call to the IRS will solve this...lets hope! 
Now this messes up our plans for lunch at Kona Cafe when we arrive in WDW. 
I have some rearranging to do.
Yuck.
If it didn't come out, I wasn't going to accept the dress. Now the problem will be to get it to SC without lots of wrinkles. I may have to have it steamed once I get there.
