Vodka Penne Rustica

I gotta say, I don't have anything remotely resembling a "liquor cabinet" but I do always have some vodka on hand and it is precisely for this dish. I've been making it for well over 10 years. I got this recipe from my friend Dawn and it's become a family favorite. It's one of those go-to recipes when I don't have a lot of time, because all of the ingredients are things I usually have on hand.

slightly adapted
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup vodka
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lb. Penne pasta, cooked and drained
• fresh grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese 

Directions:

1. Melt butter with olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 8 min.
3. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly thickened about 5-8 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add cream, vodka and red pepper and boil until thickened to sauce consistency – about 2 minutes.
5. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Toss the cooked penne with the sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese if desired.

w/chicken optional *This is also very good with chicken added. To make  with chicken you will need about 4 small boneless skinless breasts.

Cut up into bite-size peices and cook in the butter and oil [in step one of the directions] until center is no longer pink and juices run clear. Add the onions about half-way through and continue with the directions as they go.

Serve with hot crusty Italian bread and a nice Caesar salad

*pictured with chicken

Stuffed Red Peppers

Or should I say, best stuffed peppers EVER? When I was younger, I wouldn't have put stuffed peppers at the top of my favorite-foods-list...I'm not sure they'd even make the bottom of the list. When I discovered this recipe, I discovered a new fave...and my daughter Eden is always requesting these. They are so good. So. Much. Flavor.  Seriously, the filling in these is so good I'm certain you could stuff just about anything with it and still love it.


adapted from Paula Dean's recipe
Ingredients:

• 4 large red bell peppers
• 1 1/4 pound ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 3/4 cup jarred salsa con queso
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 cup hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Start by cutting the peppers in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intact, and halving them also. Remove the seeds and ribs inside the peppers.
3. Using a hot skillet, saute the ground turkey, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon of bouillon granules, salt, garlic powder and pepper together. Saute until onions become translucent.
4. Add the rice, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, green onion tops, and soy sauce. Mix well and stuff the mixture into the peppers. In a small bowl, mix the hot water and the remaining bouillon granules. Pour this mixture into a shallow casserole large enough to hold all of the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers in the dish, cover with foil and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Remove the foil and spoon the juice from bottom of the casserole over the top of the peppers. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Make this a perfect meal with a nice big green salad on the side and some crusty warm bread with butter 

  

Amish Sugar Cookies

I just had these for the first time a couple years ago. I don't even know where my mom...or maybe it was my sister...got the recipe, but these are a new favorite for Christmas. They are so good and so pretty on a Christmas platter.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

1. mix butter and oil in a large mixing bowl. add eggs, sugars and vanilla.
2. in a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. add to the butter mixture in the bowl and mix until well combined.
3. roll into balls* and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar
4. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. do not overbake. cool on pan one minute before removing to wire racks to cool.

*we actually rolled these in green or red sugar mixed with white granulated sugar to make them even more festive

Frosting
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter very soft
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

whisk together in a small bowl until spreading consistency. frost cooled cookies and sprinkle with decorative sugars.