Christys Penneitalian Sausage In Vodka Blush Food

VODKA BLUSH

Steps:

• Fill shaker 2/3 with fresh ice.
• Go light on the grenadine, it's more like a few drops. Maybe 1/4 tsp?. Look at the picture, it's very pale.
• Add ingredients.
• Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

BLUSHING PENNE PASTA

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return to pot., Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat; saute onion until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Add herbs and salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Add 1 cup cream, wine and tomato paste; cook and stir until blended., Mix flour and remaining cream until smooth; gradually stir into onion mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Stir into pasta. Serve with remaining cheese.

PASTA WITH VODKA SAUCE AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned and all pink has disappeared, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the vodka and cook until the sauce reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.
• Toss the sauce with the pasta to coat evenly and transfer to a pasta bowl for serving. Top with cheese and sprig of basil and serve immediately.

BAKED PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH (OVEN OR CROCK-POT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Grease a deep lasagna pan (or two 9x9 pans). Crockpot instructions are at the bottom.
• SAUCE: In a large deep saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and saute slowly until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add sausage to pan; continue to saute and break up sausage into bite size pieces. When sausage is just about done, add garlic for a minute or two. Finally, pour red wine into pan and bring wine to a boil to evaporate alcohol and eliminate most of the liquid.
• Add tomatoes to other ingredients. Pour about 1/2 cup water into the tomato can to clean out the can - add this water to the pot. Add pesto. While this simmers about 10 minutes, cook the pasta.
• PASTA: Bring plenty of salted water to boil for pasta (lots of water will prevent sticky pasta). Cook according to package directions; drain.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss hot cooked pasta, chopped fresh spinach and tomato/sausage sauce. DO NOT ADD CHEESE YET. Continue combining hot ingredients until spinach wilts slightly, THEN add cubed mozzarella and 1/2 CUP of the Parmesan cheese. Toss quickly and pour into your prepared baking dish (if you work with the cheese too long, it will become a stringy mess!).
• Sprinkle final 1/2 CUP Parmesan on top.
• Bake 375 for 30 minutes, uncovered, until hot and bubbly.
• CROCKPOT VERSION FOR A CROWD: Double recipe. Make sure pasta is a bit undercooked (slightly firm). Pour into crockpot; add 1 cup hot water around the edges. Cook on HIGH 3 hours.

PENNE IN CREAM SAUCE WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess drippings from skillet. Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer
• 3 minutes. Add cream and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl.
• Bring sauce to simmer. Pour sauce over pasta. Add 3/4 cup cheese and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley.

PENNE IN CREAM SAUCE WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add sausage, onion and garic and saute until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes.
• Drain any excess dripping from skillet.
• Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes with juices and simmer 3 minutes.
• Add cream and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in 4 tablespoons parsley.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove from heat.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until firm to bite.
• Drain; transfer to large bowl.
• Bring sauce to simmer.
• Pour sauce over pasta.
• Add 3/4 cup cheese and toss to coat.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley.

PENNE & SAUSAGES A LA VODKA

Steps:

• Prick sausage casings several times& cook in lightly salted, boiling water for 3 minutes.
• Drain, cool& slice into rounds about 1/2 inch thick.
• Melt butter& oil in a very large skillet.
• Add sausages, onion & garlic; cook on medium heat until sausages are lightly browned.
• Add peppers & zucchini & cook for 2 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Add penne & cook, according to package directions, until al dente (approx 9 minutes).
• Drain well.
• In the meantime, add tomato sauce, salt, pepper & cumin to the sausage mixture.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.
• Add vodka & cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the cream, nutmeg& Parmesan; simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pasta to skillet; toss or stir well and serve sprinkled with parsley & additional Parmesan.