Cucumber Lime Vodka Spritzer

A month or so ago, I went to Lake Charles for the weekend with a group of girlfriends. We stayed at the Golden Nugget and had an amazing time, I highly recommend it as a much cheaper alternative to Vegas. The drive was short and the hotel was quite lovely.  We ate a Vic and Anthony's one night and three of us ordered a cucumber lime cocktail.  And three of us looked at each other in horror when we tasted it, it was awful.  I love tart tart tart cocktails, but this was too much for even my taste.  We sent the drinks back, replaced them with something much more tasty, but I still craved a cucumber and lime cocktail.  I hosted a 40th birthday for a friend and decided to try something similar, but not terrible, on my own.  This cocktail is refreshing and tasty, without being terribly tart.

Cucumber Lime Vodka Spritzer
makes 16 cocktails

8 12-ounce cans club soda
2 cups vodka
½ cup fresh lime juice
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

In a pitcher, combine the club soda, vodka, lime juice, and cucumber. Serve over ice.

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Easy Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka is one of Miss F's most favorite pastas. It only trails behind spaghetti and meatballs or Daddy pasta.  I have several recipes that I like, but I really wanted to simplify it for an easier weeknight meal, something that didn't involve hours in the oven or a food processor.  This meal was a huge hit, I served it with pizza chips and broccoli, with barely any leftovers of anything.  Miss F called dibs on what was left for her lunch box the next day.  I liked the fact that the sauce came together in the same amount of time as it took to cook the pasta.

Easy Penne alla Vodka

1 pound penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup vodka
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside, reserving the pasta water. In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the vodka to the pan, bring to a simmer and swirl in the tomato paste, simmer for 2 minutes more. Stir in the red pepper and tomatoes, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream and salt, once the mixture begins to bubble, stir in the Parmesan. Add the pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs thinning. Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese.

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Vodka Pasta

Before my Carbonara obsession, I had quite a big vodka sauce obsession. My two go tos were Penne a la Vodka and Penne alla Vecchia Bettola.  I could never choose a favorite, I love all vodka sauces equally.  How can you go wrong with tomatoes, cream and vodka?  You cannot.  When I saw this recipe on Cook Like a Champion, I knew I wanted to try it.   And now I have another vodka sauce recipe to love just as much as the others.  Why can't I be obsessed with salads and raw veggies?  Nope...pasta always wins.  I have no clue where it came from.  I didn't grow up eating much pasta.  And now it is one of my most favorite things.  I blame C for introducing me to fettucine alfredo from Carmine's in Chicago.

Vodka Pasta

4 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
medium yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup vodka
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil, plus additional for serving
1 pound penne pasta
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving

Cook pasta in well salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water, drain pasta and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about a minute more. Stir in tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the tomato paste and vodka. Cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated, at least 5 minutes. Stir in cream, red pepper flakes and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook sauce until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in basil and Parmesan.

Add pasta to skillet and toss to coat, adding pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Serve topped with additional basil and Parmesan.

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Penne with Vodka Sauce and Italian Sausage

I remember the first time I had vodka sauce, I believe it was after seeing an Oprah episode about it. And I was in heaven. I still have no clue what the vodka does that makes it so much more amazing than your regular tomato-cream sauce. I thought adding sausage and trying a new recipe for vodka sauce seemed like it would be a winner in my house. To my shock, Miss F was not a huge fan of the sausage, but she loved the pasta. I really liked this sauce recipe, it was incredibly easy and didn't use much vodka at all, which leaves more for drinking. Thanks to Janet for the great recipe!

Penne with Vodka Sauce and Italian Sausage

¼ cup olive oil
4 links Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
¾ teaspoon salt
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons vodka
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Fry the sausage for 3 to 5 minutes, until browned. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring until garlic is golden brown. Add tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package directions. Drain. Add vodka and cream to sauce and bring to a boil. Remove sausage from sauce and slice. Stir pasta and sliced sausage into the sauce; cook over low heat for 1 minute. Stir in basil and serve.

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Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

One of my most favorite pasta dishes is Cooks Illustrated Penne a la Vodka. It is so good and reasonably easy to prepare. When I saw the episode of The Barefoot Contessa featuring a very similar dish, I knew I had to try it. Who cares that it takes over two hours...it is worth every second. This dish is amazing. Miss F kept asking for "more" and when I say kept asking, she had at least 5 helpings. Her little belly was about to explode. C thought it was good, but wondered why there was no meat. I will make it again with sausage for him.

Nick and Toni's Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola
serves 4

¼ cup good olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta
4 tablespoons fresh oregano
¾ to 1 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 ½ hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.

Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.

Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in ½ cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.

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Penne a la Vodka

One of my most favorite Cook's Illustrated recipes is for Penne a la Vodka. The best part about this recipe is that I usually have everything on hand to make it, which makes it an easy dinner fill in. Of course I had to make garlic bread, mine with real garlic and C's with garlic salt...shudder. I love that this recipe makes so much because I really enjoy it leftover, the penne soaks up the sauce which makes it even more delicious.

I do play on the wild side and don't take the pan off the heat when I add the vodka...you have to add some excitement to cooking.



Penne a la Vodka

1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 small onion minced (about 1/4 c)
1 Tbs tomato paste
2 medium garlic cloves minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 C vodka
1/2 C heavy cream
1 lb penne pasta
2 Tbs finely chopped fresh basil
Grated parmesan for serving

Puree half of the tomatoes in food processor until smooth. Dice remaining tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, discarding cores. Combine pureed tomatoes and diced tomatoes in liquid measuring cup add reserved liquid to equal 2 cups.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are light golden around the edges, about three minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt. Remove pan from heat and add vodka. Return pan to medium-high heat and simmer briskly until alcohol flavor is cooked off, 8 to 10 minutes; stir frequently and lower heat to medium if simmering becomes to vigorous. Stir in cream and cook umtil hot, about 1 minute.

Add pasta sauce to penne pasta that has been cooked to al dente. Stir in basil and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, top with fresh parmesan.

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