What's for dinner

So, since cold weather is upon us again I'm back in the kitchen more. And if y'all don't mind, I'm going to share some of my recipes with you here and there. Nothing too complicated - life's too short for all that. But good, simple food that a chimp can fix. And family-friendly too.

Joey has a splitting headache (probably from my wailing over the Starbucks fiasco this afternoon) so we're staying put tonight. I'm pulling out one of my staples that I always have the ingredients for just in case we have a night like this. It's easy to fix on a weeknight after a long day, the sauce freezes pretty well, and it's almost restaurant quality. Something you could fix for a date or unexpected quality without worrying about screwing it up. Yeah, it's a good basic recipe.

I got this recipe off of the Dealing with the In-Laws board on BabyCenter about 4 years ago and have passed it on to countless people. Most of the PIM's will recognize this....

Now, for the editorial comment - the "four servings" would be if you had the pasta, some bread, a salad, etc. If you're just having pasta only, it would be two generous servings with maybe some leftovers. Just so you know. Or maybe I'm just a pig.

Penne Pasta with Tomato Vodka Sauce (Serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups whipping or heavy cream (you can use half-and-half too to save calories but the sauce will be a little thinner)
1 small can (5-1/2 oz.) tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup vodka
4 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Don't let the garlic get brown!

Stir in cream, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and vodka. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Cook penne according to package directions and drain.

Stir 1/4 cup of cheese into sauce, then stir in cooked penne and mix well. Top with remaining cheese and serve immediately.