Easy Chicken Cacciatore

Both my husband and I work full-time. We have a toddler (15 months today... woot!). We have a house, three cats, and an hour commute, each way, to and from work. So sometimes, I don't have the energy to be a gourmand.

I came up with this recipe because I almost always have the ingredients on hand, and because it only takes about half an hour from start to finish. I also tailored it to feed two because my son doesn't always eat what we do for dinner. The flavors are bold and it's the perfect quick and satisfying meal for two after a long day.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

3/4 pound boneless chicken breast tenders, pounded thin
1/4 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, with liquid
1 tablespoon shaved or shredded parmesan cheese
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Chicken should be pounded into very thin filets. Season each side of chicken with salt and pepper.



Chop onions and pepper into approximately one-inch pieces (same size as they have about the same cooking time).



Heat oil in large pan/skillet. When hot, place chicken in pan. Turn after 2 minutes, toss in onions, peppers and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.



Add tomatoes, capers, small amount of liquid from jar and butter, cover, allow to cook for 15 minutes. When finished, top with parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper and serve immediately.

Gamberi e mitili in brodo del vino (Shrimp and mussels in wine broth)

Growing up, I was willing to try pretty much anything, especially when it came to seafood.

My dad and I could have eaten some type of seafood everyday, and whatever he was having, I was having. I remember sitting down with him to share a lobster when I was about 8, just because I wanted to try it. I ate shrimp by the handful and steamers by the bucketload. If it was seafood, I was IN.

So as an adult at a restaurant, I'm instantly drawn to the seafood section of the menu. At a particular Italian eatery, my husband and I love a dish of mussels and broth. We end up eating it very quick and using our bread to soak up the buttery broth every single time.

But since we can't afford to go out to eat every night, I had to figure out a way to make the dish at home. And since mussels, while delicious, aren't all that filling as a dinner meal, I tossed in some shrimp. Next time I'd also like to add some scallops; I think they'd add even more flavor to the dish.

You can serve the broth separate like I did here, or pour it over the shellfish. I've done it both ways, but separated it here to show you what it should look like. I highly recommend serving this with some bread -- once you try the broth, you won't leave a single drop in the bowl.

Enjoy!



Gamberi e mitili in brodo del vino (Shrimp and mussels in wine broth)
Serves 4-6

2 pounds of live mussels (approximately 75 shells), scrubbed, debearded*
1 pound of peeled, deveined raw shrimp
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion or shallot
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup white wine
3 tablespoons garlic*
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Tools
wire/bristle brush
large sautee pan with lid

With sautee pan on medium heat, melt butter, then add lemon juice, salt, pepper and wine (carefully). Toss in onion and cook until translucent. Add half of the garlic to the broth and watch to make sure it doesn't burn. Cook until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.



Toss mussels into pan, distributing as evenly as possible around the pan. Spoon remaining garlic and olive oil over shells and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.



Remove lid and toss shrimp on top of mussels, cover. Cook for additional 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat.



Spoon shrimp and mussels onto large platter.



Before serving, ensure all shells have opened -- discard mussels that remain closed. Top with broth from pan or serve with broth on the side (you can add any other flavors you like -- parsley, red pepper flakes, basil, etc., at this time).



Notes
Mussels -- At our supermarket, you can buy a 2 lb. bundle of mussels in the seafood department. Though it won't look like it at first, this is about 75 mussels.



The tricky thing about mussels, and the reason many people don't cook with them, is that they do require a fair bit of preparation. When you unbundle them, you have to scrub them, as they accumulate a fair amount of dirt/sand on their shells. Then, and if you're squeamish, look away -- you have to "de-beard" them. What's a beard you ask? It's a group of fibers the mussel has used to hold on to rocks in the ocean.



You have to grip the beard and yank it out of the shell. The creepy thing (for some, I'm past it!), is that as the mussel is live, you may feel it... "tug" back a little. Certainly, once you begin to pull the beard and let go, you will see a portion disappear back into the shell. In any event, you want to remove this beard, or as much of it as you can, because what you don't clean off the shells and out of them is going to end up in your mouth.



The other tidbit about mussels... you have to quite literally trust your gut. The LAST thing you want to eat is bad shellfish, and so you have to apply the open-closed theory of discarding the "bad" ones -- if you see shells OPEN before you cook the mussels, throw them out. If any remain CLOSED after you cook them, throw them out. If any shells have chunks mussing or exposed mussel showing, throw them out. Trust me on this one -- better safe than sorry!

Garlic -- Just to restate what I've said in almost every recipe I've made using garlic, you can feel free to use jarred or fresh garlic. I prefer to use the jarred as it keeps longer, I don't have to cut it up, and it seems to be more flavorful. If you use the jarred garlic, use 3 tablespoons. If you use fresh garlic, use 4-5 cloves, depending on their size.

Pumpkin ice cream and affogatos

I have a confession to make: As much as I enjoy laying out in the sun and getting (my VERY LIGHT shade of) tan, as much as I enjoy my hair being blonde, as much as I enjoy the heat... I adore the fall.

Having grown up in New England, I was born and bred with an addiction to autumn. I love the sights, the sounds, and the tastes of fall. So naturally once the calendar page flipped to October, I ran right to the store and picked up one of the most classic fall flavors -- pumpkin.



I wanted to do something different with the pumpkin besides the standard pumpkin bread or pumpkin roll, so I decided to go in a different, chillier direction with ice cream. To take the fall flavor even deeper, I went with an affogato, made with cinnamon Starbucks coffee.

Before about two years ago, I'd never heard of an affogato. I tried one on our trip to the Berkshires, and was instantly in love. "Affogato" is Italian for "drowned," and this ice cream treat is literally drowned in espresso. In place of espresso, I used coffee, but trust me -- it may sound odd, but once you combine the raw coffee flavor with the sweet creaminess of the ice cream... yum. You won't regret it.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Ice Cream and Affogatos
Yields about 10 half-cup servings

Ice cream
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean (pod and beans)
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 15-ounce can of pure pumpkin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar

Affogato
Starbucks cinnamon coffee
cinnamon stick (garnish)

Tools
Cuisinart ice cream maker
medium saucepan
mixing bowl
glass bowl (for chilling)

In saucepan, combine milk and cream. Cut open vanilla bean, toss seeds into cream mixture. Once seeds are removed, add pod to mixture. Heat cream on medium-low for 30 minutes and remove from heat.



In separate mixing bowl, combine egg, pumpkin, sugars, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and sugars. Beat with whisk until smooth.



Using a ladle or spoon, add a small amount of the heated cream to the pumpkin mixture. Mix until combined, then add another spoonful. This will temper the mixture so the egg doesn't scramble when exposed to heat.



Pour all of the pumpkin mixture into the saucepan with the cream, and mix until smooth. Pour into glass bowl, and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. At the same time, place bowl of ice cream maker into the freezer -- the liquid in the bowl (what chills the ice cream) must freeze before ice cream can be made.



Once bowl is frozen, assemble machine and turn switch to on. Pour cream mixture into bowl and allow to mix for 25-30 minutes or until desired texture is reached.










You can freeze the mixture for longer if you want firmer ice cream.



To create affogatos, scoop some ice cream into a glass, and top with prepared coffee. Garnish with cinnamon stick. Enjoy!







Notes:
Vanilla bean -- This is the first time I've ever actually used a REAL vanilla bean for flavoring. I'm not going to lie, they aren't cheap -- for this ONE in a jar, it was $7.49 at the grocery store -- but they are so worth the flavor.



In case you've never seen a vanilla bean pod cut open, here's what the inside, complete with itty-bitty seeds intact looks like.

Recipe #17: Chocolate Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

First off, I apologize for taking a break -- between holidays, a sick baby, and having my wisdom teeth out, I've been a busy lady. Anywho, on with the show!

The first time I ever had Panna Cotta was at Pompeii Caesar inside Mohegan Sun Casino. It's a very expensive (albeit absolutely delicious) Italian restaurant inside the older part of the casino. I went there to have lunch with a reporter from Rolling Stone for an interview she was doing on myself and a bunch of other teen girls from my town (the rest of this is such another story for another day/blog/etc.). While we were there, the reporter let me order anything I wanted and after whatever my entree was, and at the tender age of 14, as long as it was being paid for by someone else, of course I wanted dessert.

I'd never had it before, but with literally the first bite, I was IN LOVE. It was creamy and delicious and like a little bite of heaven.

Cut to 11 years later, and I'm trying to come up with a nice dessert to make my husband after a long week of taking care of me after I had my wisdom teeth out. I thought of panna cotta, but there's only one problem -- he won't eat anything vanilla, custardy, pudding-like or creamy. No problem, I'll add chocolate and a touch of raspberry. Please note -- I usually include photos of my entire process, but since the first part, where I actually made the cream that I used, went so quickly, I didn't really get any photos. I did take photos while making the raspberry sauce, because that process was actually tougher. But trust me when I say that the words alone will be enough. It's a pretty simple recipe.

In the end, he loved it, and he's actually the one who suggested I blog my recipe. We thought it was delicious, and considering it made 8 servings, we'll happily be enjoying it for dessert for a couple more days.

Chocolate Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

Cook time: 10 minutes
Cooling time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 4 to 24 hours

1 small packet unflavored gelatin
4 cups heavy cream or whipping cram
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon water
1 8-ounce container of sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Tools
large saucepan
mixing bowl
8 medium-sized (about 4 oz.) ramekins or containers for serving
ladle/large mixing spoon
food processor (optional)
small saucepan
handheld strainer/sifter

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, or microwave for 30 second intervals and stir, until melted. Set aside.

Take 1 cup heavy cream and whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Mix gelatin with 2 tablespoons water and set aside. This will set in the container within 2 or 3 minutes. That's OK. It's supposed to.

In large saucepan, heat 1/2 cup sugar, cream, cocoa powder and vanilla over medium heat, but stir continuously to avoid boiling. Once heated through, add the set gelatin mixture. Stir until you don't feel any grainy pieces of the gelatin and remove from heat immediately. Pour in melted chocolate and stir to combine. Allow to cool thoroughly for about 15 minutes.

In mixing bowl, empty sour cream container. Once the cream-sugar mixture has completely cooled, use ladle to add spoonfuls of the mixture to the sour cream. Whisk to keep airy/light. Add the whipped cream. Once completely combined, pour into ramekins or serving containers and chill for at least for (up to 24) hours in refrigerator.

For raspberry sauce: Add raspberries to food processor and puree. If you do not have a food processor, use a fork to crush the raspberries, or a knife to chop. Add to small saucepan with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and teaspoon of water.



Cook over medium high heat until sugar has caramelized and is melted completely. Mixture should be bubbling.



Remove from heat. Set strainer/sifter on top of a bowl, and pour raspberry mix into it. Using a fork or spoon, move raspberry mixture around so as to move the remaining flesh and juice into the bowl, keeping seeds in sifter.



Please note: The yellow on the right hand side in the below picture is the reflection of the light in my kitchen. I didn't add anything to the mixture. :)



Panna cotta can be served in the ramekin/container or on a plate. To remove from ramekin, run a knife around the edge and turn ramekin over onto plate and tap the bottom. If the panna cotta doesn't come out right away, continue running the knife around the edges. This will separate it from the container.

Serve topped with raspberry sauce.



*Comments:

-Strainer/sifter: If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a better picture of this tool.

Restaurant Review: Wholly Cannoli, Worcester

After hearing about them on Phantom Gourmet, my husband and I decided to try Wholly Cannoli on Grafton Street in Worcester for our giving-dessert-as-a-thank-you-gift needs this past Sunday night. Though we had to make a beeline to get there by closing (7 p.m. on Sundays), it was convenient that they were even open Sunday nights whereas we'd be out of luck with most other bakeries. Though I'd heard good things on Phantom and had high hopes since even their website says they have the largest selection of cannolis on the east coast, I really thought, how bad can a store full of Italian pastries be?

I was pleasantly surprised to see that this wasn't just a little hole (whole?) in the wall (not that I wouldn't have gleefully ordered up a plethora of desserts had it been); there are several tables where you can sit and enjoy your baked goodness, but of course, they also do quite the take-out business. The selection -- not just of cannoli, but also cookies, cakes, and individual pastries is absolutely overwhelming.

As much as I would have liked to sample something from each category, I was there on a mission: cannoli. Delicious cannoli, and nothing else... until I laid eyes on a heavenly confection known as a "Dynamite Stick." I don't even know what they are, I thought, but "Two of those, please." Three caramel swirl cannoli, one white chocolate raspberry, two pumpkin pie, two chocolate chip, one Snickers, one tiramisu and two others that I don't recall the names of, but they had tiny peanut butter and chocolate chips on the end (I'm not a peanut butter person, but figured one of our guests may be) completed my order. I was impressed that the young lady behind the counter gently placed each pastry in the oversized box, and as a result, they were all in perfect condition when we went to dig in.



They all looked great, but admittedly... I was most excited about the "Dynamite Stick." When I got home (and immediately devoured one), I discovered that not only is it NOT a candy bar, it is quite possibly the most delicious dessert I've ever eaten. The Dynamite Stick is sweetened ricotta cheese, slathered in caramel, and covered in a hard chocolate shell. There is a coating on the chocolate also -- maybe cake crumbs? -- but I couldn't tell what it was. Not that it mattered, it could have been pickled cricket heads and I would still have delighted in every bite.

I didn't try every flavor, but can personally recommend the tiramisu and caramel varieties. They are as pretty to look at as they are tasty.

My one gripe with Wholly Cannoli is only their prices. For one dozen cannoli and two dynamite sticks (which are $4 each), the total came to $48. That's not to say that the food wasn't worth it, but if you're looking for tasty on a budget, especially for a crowd, you might be better off checking out a different shop in Worcester or a neighboring town. I should note, however, that their occasion cakes, which range from 8-inch round ($12.95) to full sheet ($60) and come in a vast variety of flavors, do seem very reasonably priced.

That said, the food was delicious, and it looked like a cute place to stop for a quick meal -- they also have a few breakfast offerings and a lunch menu with sandwiches on foccacia bread, pizza, wraps and salads -- and definitely a dessert, eat-in or take-out. If you have the extra dough (get it?) to spend, and you're looking for truly tasty and unique cannoli creations, Wholly Cannoli is the way to go.


Wholly Cannoli
490 Grafton Street
Worcester, Mass., 01604
(508) 573-0224
http://www.whollycannoli.com

Hours:
Monday - 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday - 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday - 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday - 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday - 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday - 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday - 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Recipe #8: Pasta e Fagioli

When I was a kid, my mom made this soup once, and I remember going with her and my sister to bring it over to my great grandfather's for him to try. I don't remember his reaction, or whether he liked it, but I remember that whenever that was -- I'll guess about 15 years ago, maybe -- it was the best soup I'd ever had. It wasn't complicated and it wasn't expensive to make. It was basically a mixture of stuff anyone would already have in their pantry. A few weeks ago, I asked my mom about it, and if she remembered how to make it. To my surprise, she still had the recipe. When she sent it to me, I expected long detailed instructions, but after receiving a list of ingredients and two basic instructions, I called her to see if maybe she forgot part o the recipe. She told me she had gotten it from a chef on TV and just had a pen to write down the ingredients. Well, I've added a couple things of my own and I think I've gotten a pretty good soup. One item of note: It drives me absolutely crazy when I have seen repros of this recipe over the years and they include meat. Even Olive Garden's version contains meat. Traditional Pasta e Fagioli (which our family pronounces pasta fa-zool) doesn't have any meat in it, it has beans and tomatoes, because they were cheap "peasant foods." There was no meat in the real thing, so in mine still there shall be no meat! :) Please note -- wherever you see a (*) next to an ingredient or tool, there is a comment about it below the recipe. Enjoy!

Pasta e Fagioli

Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic*
1 15-ounce can Great Northern Beans*
dash thyme
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
8-10 fresh basil leaves (4 whole and 4 ripped or chopped)
2 quarts chicken broth
2 cups dry pasta*
4 tablespoons tomato paste

Tools
Large pot
Mixing spoon

Heat olive oil and garlic in pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add can of beans and liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in tomato pasta, mix to combine. Add four chopped/ripped basil leaves, thyme and parmesan cheese, mix to combine. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.



Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add pasta, allow to cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.



Serve as is or garnished with a basil leave and topped with parmesan cheese and olive oil.



*Comments:
-Garlic: I don't usually use fresh garlic when I cook, unless it's going to be almost raw in the dish. What I use instead is a huge jar of Spice World minced garlic. It saves me the time of having to chop (and have my hands smell like) garlic for any given recipe. For this recipe, if you use the jarred garlic, use two tablespoons.

-Beans: If you can't find "Great Northern Beans," you can use cannellini beans. Just remember not to rinse them off or discard the liquid in the can. Adding the beans AND the liquid gives the broth a good amount of starch.

-Pasta: I used small shells for my soup, but any tiny pasta would work. Don't use a large pasta, or it will absorb a lot of space and you'll end up with more pasta than broth. Try a small variety or Barilla Picollini for tiny versions of big pasta!

Recipe #5: Chicken Parmigiana

There are several ways to cook this, and it's one of my husband's favorites so I've pretty much tried them all. This particular recipe -- which involves covering the chicken cutlets with sauce and baking them -- is his favorite as well as mine, because to us, it seems to have the most flavor. You may also notice that this recipe doesn't use mozzarella cheese. Aside from the fact that it seems to make things too heavy for my taste (of course, you can choose to use it), it also makes me very sick to my stomach, so I use parmesan cheese instead and none of the flavor is lost! It's not necessarily a quick recipe, but the time it takes is so worth it. Please note -- wherever you see a (*) next to an ingredient or tool, there is a comment about it below the recipe. Enjoy!


Chicken Parmigiana

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked pasta (any variety)
2 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes with basil
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
4 cloves garlic*
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream*
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 cups panko bread crumbs*
2 cups parmesan (or parmigiano reggiano cheese)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 eggs
4-5 thin cut chicken breast filets*
2 cups flour


Tools
two dishes and one bowl for dredging/flouring/breading chicken
13x9 pan/Pyrex
large pot
large skillet
medium sauce pan
spoon

To make sauce: Add four teaspoons olive oil to heated sauce pan (heat on medium-high), allow to heat for 5-7 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, teaspoon salt, teaspoon pepper, Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic and red pepper flakes and stir with oil to combine and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add heavy cream, stir to combine. Simmer for additional 5 minutes, then set aside. *Yields about a quart and a half.



Begin prep for chicken by heating butter and remaining olive oil (yes, both) in skillet on medium heat. Take 13x9 pan, and cover bottom with a layer of sauce. Preheat oven to 400.

Set up a dredging station for the chicken -- one plate should be just flour, a second should contain panko breadcrumbs and 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese, garlic powder, teaspoon each of salt and pepper and teaspoon parsley. Bowl should contain four eggs, beaten.



Dredge chicken by flouring first, placing in egg second, and into panko last. Use spoon to cover chicken with the breadcrumbs, ensuring they're distributed evenly.



As chicken is thoroughly coated, transfer to heated skillet. Turn after 1 minute, or when golden brown on underside.



After both sides are browned, add to 13x9 pan. When all chicken is browned and in 13X9, pour additional sauce over chicken (reserve approximately 1 1/2 cups), sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and parsley.



Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

While chicken is baking, boil pasta. Drain, and add back to pot. Ladle remaining sauce into pan, and mix with pasta.

Remove chicken from oven when cheese is slightly browned.



Serve chicken over pasta.



*Comments
-Garlic: I don't usually use fresh garlic when I cook, unless it's going to be almost raw in the dish. What I use instead is a huge jar of Spice World minced garlic. It saves me the time of having to chop (and have my hands smell like) garlic for any given recipe. For this recipe, if you use the jarred garlic, use two tablespoons.

-Heavy Cream: I use this to thicken the sauce, and because adding just a small amount makes it richer, while not making it too heavy. You also would never taste the cream in the sauce, and it shouldn't ever be visible -- make sure you mix well! If you prefer, you can leave it out of this sauce.

-Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese bread crumbs that are flakier than regular bread crumbs. You will notice a different texture when you see them during dredging; they only make the chicken crispier. If all you have on hand is regular bread crumbs, you can use those, but Panko isn't hard to find in most supermarkets.

-Chicken: I bought very thinly sliced cutlets for this recipe. They are a little more expensive than whole chicken breast ($3.99/pound) but worth it. It saves me from having to cut all the fat off, and are already very thin so tenderizing isn't necessary.

-Reserve "bowl" for sauce: This is entirely optional, but when I was done cooking the sauce, I transferred it to a handy little glass bowl in my arsenal of cookware -- the Classic Batter Bowl from Pampered Chef. It's basically a giant measuring cup-shaped bowl with a spout on it for easy pouring (like pouring it over the chicken once it's cooked), and comes with a lid so any leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge. I have the larger batter bowl which holds two quarts. It's shown in the pic below with the spice container next to it for size reference. I just find it very handy! If you want to see what I'm talking about, you can find the batter bowl right HERE.



-Sauce: I doubled the recipe I would normally use for sauce, because this recipe requires a lot. You will inevitably be left with some sauce. No problem there -- just store covered in the fridge, reheat in a sauce pan, and serve with pasta.

-Bowl recommendations: For my dredging and baking, I generally use Pyrex bowls/bakeware, because I received more than you can shake a stick at for my bridal shower. I *LOVE* Pyrex (and I'm not getting anything for saying that!) because it's oven-safe, ensures even cooking, and comes with lids for easy storage of leftovers. It's totally find if you don't have it though, just make sure that whatever you do use to cook the chicken in the oven is actually oven safe!

-Cooking chicken: When you're cooking it to delicious golden brownness in the pan before baking, don't worry that you're only cooking it for a minute. You're not trying to cook it through -- just making it look pretty and browning the outside. It will cook through in the oven. Also, if you find the pan getting dry when browning, add a little bit more olive oil.

Recipe #4: Rigatoni ala Vodka with Shrimp

I am a pastaholic. I could eat it everyday if it was of no consequence. I am also a huge fan of homemade sauces and hate jarred because to me, it just doesn't taste right. It's not hard to make a good sauce on your own, and if you make the pink vodka sauce in the recipe below, I guarantee you that it is as good, if not better, than any restaurant vodka sauce. My favorite part about this recipe is that it only takes about 20 minutes to make, from start to finish. Also, in case you're either allergic or not a big fan of shrimp, you can always just leave it out. We're just big fans of seafood and love the texture and taste of shrimp. Also, not a lot of pics for this one, as it's such a quick and easy recipe... I hardly had time to take any! Please note -- wherever you see a (*) next to an ingredient or tool, there is a comment about it below the recipe. Enjoy!


Rigatoni ala Vodka with Shrimp

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
10-12 large shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined (optional)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes*
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic*
1 1/2 pounds rigatoni (about a box and a half)
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 ounce vodka
3/4 cup heavy cream
dried parsley for garnish

Tools
large pot
medium sauce pan
mixing spoon

Boil water in large pot with 3 teaspoons of salt. Add pasta. Cook until tender (about 15-20 minutes).

While pasta cooks... In saucepan, add olive oil and heat on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. When oil is heated, add crushed tomatoes, remaining salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup cheese and garlic and let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir frequently to keep sauce from sticking and to heat evenly. Add vodka, allow to cook for two more minutes. Add cream slowly, stirring as it is added. Sauce should appear orange to pink in color. Add shrimp and cook for five minutes.

When pasta is finished, drain and return to pan, but turn the burner off. Pour sauce and shrimp into the pot with pasta and mix.



Spoon onto plates and top each with remaining cheese and sprinkle of parsley. Enjoy!




*Comments:
-Garlic: I don't usually use fresh garlic when I cook, unless it's going to be almost raw in the dish. What I use instead is a huge jar of Spice World minced garlic. It saves me the time of having to chop (and have my hands smell like) garlic for any given recipe. For this recipe, if you use the jarred garlic, use one tablespoon.

*Tomatoes: The crushed tomatoes I use already have basil in them (it will say it right on the can). If you can't find any with basil already added, add one leave finely chopped OR one teaspoon into the tomato sauce while cooking.

*While cooking: Be careful adding the can of crushed tomatoes into the pan with oil. Adding them too quickly or too much at a time can cause the oil to "spit," and you can get a pretty nasty burn. You want to be sure to heat the oil only on medium heat (NOT HIGH), and stand back a bit, maybe even use a potholder, when you pour the can in. You can also try adding half the can, mixing, then adding the second half.