Penne Alla Norris

Had the most amazing homemade penne alla vodka over at the Gamble residence during the Superbowl, I just had to recreate it...

Ingredients:

• 2/3 of a 1 lb box of penne
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup of vodka
• Standard large can of tomato puree (quality brand like Tuttorosso)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 pound cooked ham and 1/8 pound of pancetta (I asked for these from the deli and had them slice it "thick" then cubed it up when I got home)
• 2 drops hot sauce
• a shake of salt, a shake of ground pepper, a shake of dried oregano
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated cheese

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over low-med heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
2. Stir in vodka and allow to simmer until the alcohol is fully cooked out.  You can tell this by lightly wafting the steam, if the alcohol hasn't burned off yet, it'll knock you in the face)
3. Add and stir in the can of tomato puree.
4. In a separate small skillet, sauté and crisp up the ham and pancetta in 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
5. When edged start to brown (like bacon would, but not fully cooked), add to sauce pot along with salt, pepper and hot sauce.
6. Lastly, add heavy cream and stir.
7. Boil a pot of water and cook penne to desired tenderness.
8. Drain penne and return to pot.  Ladle in sauce to dry penne pot until fully coated.  (I did this because I had extra sauce left over to freeze and didn't want the sauce amount to overwhelm the pasta.
9. Toss with grated cheese and serve.

Creamy White & Green Alfredo Lasagna

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of heavy cream
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of grated parmesan cheese
• ground black pepper
• dried oregano
• 1 egg
• 16 oz container of whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 cups package of shredded mozzarella
• 8 sheets of Barilla no-cook lasagna noodles
• 2 cups of steamed and chopped broccoli

Directions:

Prepare alfredo sauce to Tyler Florence's recipe.

"To prepare alfredo sauce: Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in 1 cup or slightly more parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper."

 

1. Set sauce aside.  In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, a handful of shredded mozzarella, a 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese and a dash or two of oregano.  Set aside.
2. Lightly spray a 8 by 8 or 9 by 9 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 375.
3. Layer lasagna in the following order: Alfredo sauce (enough to cover a thin coating on bottom of baking dish. 2 noodle sheets side by side. 1/3 of ricotta mixture. 1/3 of broccoli. Sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.  About 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce. 2 noodle sheets side by side. 1/3 of ricotta mixture. 1/3 of broccoli. Sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.  About 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce.  2 noodle sheets side by side. 1/3 of ricotta mixture. 1/3 of broccoli. Sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.  About 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce.  Remaining 2 noodle sheets side by side. Remaining Alfredo sauce.  Remaining mozzarella cheese.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50-60 minutes.  (Remove foil for last 5 minute of baking time.) (Also, I put the baking dish on top of a baking sheet if just by chance it was to overflow.)
5. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

(recipe adapted and changed from Tyler Florence/Food Network.com & Barilla)

 

 

 



Hint of Chocolate & Caramel Cheesecake

 

This is an original recipe not adapted from anywhere.  Since being snowed in all day yesterday during Snowstorm Nemo, I had the opportunity to research methods and measurements to create my own creation.

 

Ingredients:

 

Crust-

• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
• 1 Tbsp of brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup of granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Filling-

• 3 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp flour

Topping-

• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Caramel sauce of your choice (I used the one available in the produce section)

Directions:

 

1) Mix butter and graham cracker crumbs in medium bowl. with a wooden spoon.  Crumble in brown sugar and white sugar and mix.  Press mixture into bottom and slightly up sides of a non-stick springform pan.  Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.

 

2) Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with 1/4 cup chocolate chips, leave for a moment and then lightly spread now melted chips with spatula.  (Adding this layer creates an added hardness to the crumb layer and a similar s'mores like taste to the cheesecake overall.)  Set aside.

 

3) In large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer.  Add white sugar and vanilla and beat until mixed.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each one.  Lastly, add sour cream and flour and beat once more.

 

4) Pour filling onto prepared crust.  Bake at 425 for 10 mins, then reduce oven temp to 325 and continue making for about 55 mins. 

(Do not open oven during cooking, use oven light to see how it's doing.  I noticed it cracked circularly around the entire edge and puffed up like a soufflé would.

 

5) Remove from oven to cool on wire rack.   After being out for about 5 minutes, cheesecake will deflate back down to look normal.  Sprinkle with last 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.  Warmness of cheesecake will act like glue to adhere them on.  After about an hour of cooling, drizzle with caramel sauce. (I melted mine in the microwave for a minute for a smoother consistency.)  Transfer cheesecake to refrigerator, wire rack included. (As bottom of springform pan remains super hot.  (Chill for at least 4 hours)

 

6) Enjoy!!!!