Category Archives: Winter

Baked Vodka Pasta +5 Cozy Pasta + Dessert Recipes To Get You Through The Rest of Winter

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I had this recipe ready to go a couple of weeks ago but then COVID hit our house. We are all recovering now but we had a rough go of it. This baked vodka pasta is comfort in a bowl. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did…before we lost our sense of taste and smell. I’m looking forward to spring. More recipes and writing to come. Stay healthy and safe!

Baked Vodka Pasta

Recipe adapted from Alexandra Cooks

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ cup vodka

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes

2 heaping tablespoons of tomato paste

Kosher salt, to taste

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

1lb penne pasta

Parmesan rind

1 cup parmesan

½ cup heavy cream

16 ounces of whole milk ricotta cheese

8 ounces fresh mozzarella

Fresh basil, optional but delicious

Directions:

Combine the butter, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir often until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Next, add the vodka and bring to a simmer. Allow the vodka to reduce by one third so cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and mix well.  Next, add the crushed tomatoes, parmesan rind, and a large pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.  Simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the penne and cook for 6 minutes (4 minutes under the al dente time).  Reserve 1 cup of the past liquid and set aside.  Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.

Remove the parmesan rind from the sauce.  Add some reserved pasta liquid if the sauce seems too thick.  Place the pasta in a large bowl.  Add the sauce and parmesan.  Mix well. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Using a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and heavy cream.

Add half of the pasta to a 9×13 pan.  Spread ricotta mixture evenly over pasta and top with remaining pasta.  Tear the mozzarella into chunks and spread it evenly over the pasta.  Bake until the top of the cheese is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.  Serve with fresh torn basil leaves and more parmesan if desired.  I highly recommend it! 

**Pasta dish can be made a few hours or up to a day ahead of time.  Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. **

**Vodka can be replaced with an equal amount of water and a squeeze of lemon juice. **

Cozy Winter Dinner and Dessert Links

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini + Chocolate Cake

Winter Squash Lasagna + White Chocolate and Lemon Curd Pavlova

Shrimp Scampi Pasta + Red Velvet Marble Cake

Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables + Stewed Cherry Eton Mess

Homemade Mac n’ Cheese + Banana Cream Pie

Blueberry Blackberry Spoon Cake + 5 2021 Random Recipes I Need to Make

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“There can be no rebirth without a dark night of the soul, a total annihilation of all that you believed in and thought that you were.” Hazart Inayat Khan

2021 is finally here. I have been away from this space for far too long with no real excuse other than not making it a priority. I plan on returning monthly in 2021. I hope this year brings you good health, hope, and peace. More writing and recipes to come. Stay healthy and safe!

Blueberry Blackberry Spoon Cake

Recipe adapted just slightly from The Baking Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Serves 6

Ingredients for Blueberry Blackberry Filling:

2 teaspoons of lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup superfine sugar

1 tablespoon of flour

A pinch of Kosher salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 + ½ cups of fresh blackberries

Ingredients for cake batter topping:

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/3 cup of sour cream

¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup superfine sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375F.  Place a sheet pan covered in foil on the bottom oven rack to catch any spills.

Using a 9-inch-deep dish pie plate mix together the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, flour, and salt.  Add the blueberries and blackberries. Stir gently to coat them.          Set aside.

Next, whisk together the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of sour cream, and vanilla in a medium bowl until just combined.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for about 30 seconds.  Add the butter and sour cream.  Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just wet.  Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 90 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Add the egg mixture in two parts beating on medium-low speed for about 30 seconds after each addition.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Pour the batter of the berry mix leaving a 1-inch border.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of just the cake topping comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes.  If the cake browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.  Be sure to coat the foil with non-stick spray prior to using.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.  Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.  Store any leftovers in an air-tight container for 2 days.  Enjoy!

5 Recipes to Try for 2021

Some pasta.

S’more brownies.

Samoas- enough said.

Make ahead breakfast sandwiches– yes please.

Seared scallops because it feels like a restaurant meal and I miss restaurants.