The Best Pasta Alla Vodka (Thanks Ina!)

I love the Dan Pelosi cookbook, Let's Eat. So much comfort food. I made his Grossy's Vodka Sawce recipe last week and while it was solid, it reminded me of how much I love Ina Garten's Penne Alla Vodka recipe. The originals are linked. My version of Ina's is here.

The Best Pasta Alla Vodka

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1½ teaspoons dried oregano

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup vodka

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound rigatoni (you can use another shape if you prefer)

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil in a medium dutch oven over medium-low heat.  Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.  Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for just one minute.  Add vodka and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is reduced by half.   Crush tomatoes into the pot and add 1-2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.  Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 1½ hours.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in generously salted water according the directions on the package.  Drain and set aside, reserving some of the pasta water.

Pour tomato mixture into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return tomato mixture to the pot and add cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.  Add pasta to the sauce and cook for 2 more minutes.  Turn off heat and stir in ½ cup of the parmesan cheese. Serve with remaining parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

*Grossy Pelosi tip:  If you’re planning to reheat leftovers, save some pasta water in the fridge and add a couple splashes to the pot as you warm the pasta. 

The Best Pot Roast

We love this pot roast. The original recipe comes from Curtis Stone's What's for Dinner, which is a great cookbook. You'll need to start midday, so it is usually a weekend recipe. I like to serve the beef, vegetables and olives on a platter, with the sauce in a gravy boat. Garlic bread and caesar salad optional. Any leftovers are great for lunch (says Will).

4 lbs boneless blade or shoulder roast

salt & freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

12 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 cup dry red wine

4 cups beef stock

4 large sprigs of thyme

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

1 1/2 lbs fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise

12 ounces cherry tomatoes

3/4 cup pitted green olives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pat beef dry with paper towels and season generously with salt & pepper. Heat large dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil. Sear the beef on all sides until browned (10-12 minutes). Remove to a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, add onions, and cook until onions soften (about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the wine and boil for 1 minute. Stir in stock and herbs.

Return beef and any juices to the pot and scatter potatoes, tomatoes, and olives around it. Bring to a simmer, cover, and put into the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, turn meat over, and then bake for another hour. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon transfer the meat, vegetables, and olives to a large platter. Discard herb stems. Boil liquid for 20 minutes, until slightly reduced.

Return beef, vegetables, and olives to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes or until warm. 

Emeril’s Really Good Chili

 This is Will’s favourite chili. When he was very young - like maybe 4 - we borrowed Emeril’s kids cookbook from the public library. Ever since, this has been our go-to chili recipe. Making  it today in honour of the Grey Cup.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons Baby Bam
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups water

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
• Add meat and cook, stirring to break into pieces, until the meat is brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. 
• Add the onion, garlic, chili powder, Baby Bam, salt, cumin, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. 
• Put the whole tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and squeeze them with your hands to break them into pieces. Add squeezed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and water to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
• Lower heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Shredded Beef Tacos - Crockpot Version

Threw this into my mom's old crockpot early on a conference day. Returned home late in the day to a delightful dinner. Adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

Shredded Beef Tacos/Crockpot Version

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 pound beef roast - blade or shoulder

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 cup beef stock

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (or a big scoop of chopped chipotle in adobo)

1 onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Rub into beef, covering each side evenly.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned. Remove beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of your crockpot.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and diced onion to the pan. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Deglaze pan with beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add tomato paste and minced chipotle, and whisk until combined. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a 3-5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Pour the pan sauce down over the beef in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beef shreds easily.

Serve with corn tortillas and toppings of your choice including: feta or cotilla cheese, lettuce, onions, cilantro, avocado, etc.