Penne Vodka with Spicey Tomato Cream Sauce

Having company or just looking to spice up your dinner tonight?  Here is a great recipe from a long time friend of mine, who has known me for almost my entire life.  This is a great traditional pasta dish with a southwestern flare.  Enjoy!

Penne Vodka with Spicey Tomato Cream Sauce
Shared by Carol Pintre Rose

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake
1-28 oz can crushed petite tomatoes
3/4 tsp salt
1 lb penne pasta
2 tbls vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf italian parsley
4-5 italian sausage links (hot or mild)

Directions

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Remove casing on sausage and add meat to the pan.  Cook, breaking up the sausage until brown.  Add garlic and red pepper flake to the meat, cook and stir until garlic is golden.  Add tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne until al dente.  Drain.  Put pasta in large serving bowl.

Stir vodka into heavy cream and then add to the sauce.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute.  Pour sauce over pasta, stir and garnish with parsley.

Serve with your favorite bread and wine.

Yields about 6-8 servings

Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese, a staple of any household.  While making the box macaroni and cheese is quick and easy, it does not always make the grade.  I find this recipe to be fairly easy and it always comes out great!  My kids and my husband love my homemade macaroni and cheese, and while I am biased, it is the best mac and cheese I have ever had. Enjoy!

Macaroni & Cheese
Original Recipe by Martha Stewart
Shared by Susan Clough
Adapted by Rins Recipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup of butter
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups of milk
1 to 1 1/2 lbs of cheese ends from the deli
Salt and Pepper
12 oz of Macaroni (cooked and drained)
20 Ritz crackers crushed

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cook macaroni according to directions on packaging.  In microwave safe bowl melt 1/4 cup of butter and then blend in the flour and nutmeg.  Cook in microwave for 1 minute.  Add milk slowly and stir constantly until well blended.  Cook for 4 to 6 minutes in the microwave, stopping and stirring at 2 minute intervals.  Cut up cheese ends into small chunks and then blend into the roux sauce, stirring until cheese is all melted (may need to put in the microwave for a few minutes to melt some of the harder cheeses).  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place macaroni into an oven safe bowl or casserole dish.  Pour cheese sauce over the macaroni and stir until sauce is well blended with macaroni.  In another microwave safe bowl, melt 1/4 cup of butter and then mix in the crushed crackers.  Place cracker mixture over the top of the macaroni and distribute evenly.  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Variations:  For a different flavor I add a clove of crushed garlic in place of the nutmeg.  You could also add cooked bacon, ham chunks or even broccolli to the macaroni and cheese before baking.

I hope you all enjoy as much as I do!  Recipe yields about 6-8 servings.