A Perfect Pantry Meal - Penne Alla Vodka

Since we were away this weekend, I did not have a fresh supply of groceries on hand for Sunday dinner.  This resulted in one of my favorite dishes on the planet - Penne Alla Vodka.  

The recipe I use is based on the version in the Williams-Sonoma Pasta Cookbook.  It is absolutely delicious, super easy to make and surprisingly light.  The best part may be that all the ingredients in this dish are probably things you already have on hand. 

Penne Alla Vodka
adapted from Williams-Sonoma

serves 2-3

8 oz penne

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 cup vodka

couple shakes of red pepper flakes

1 can diced tomatoes

salt and pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

handful of fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

parmesan cheese to garnish

In a large pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté until just starting to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the stovetop and add the vodka. Return the pan to medium heat and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well and add the pasta to the pan.

Add the cream and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the pasta is well coated with the sauce, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the parsley and combine. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Roasted Shrimp Salad

We are having quite a warm summer.  I am not complaining - I actually don't mind the heat.  But when the temperature is in the upper 90's for several days straight, I am usually not in the mood for a hot meal.
  
I saw Ina Garten make this the other day on her show.  I have made her roasted shrimp cocktail and have always gotten rave reviews, so I figured using the shrimp in a salad would be a great idea.  I only had a pound of shrimp, so I pretty much halved her original recipe.  Please don't leave out the orange zest and juice in the recipe; it really was great with the shrimp! 
Roasted Shrimp Salad
adapted from Ina Garten
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
olive oil
kosher salt & pepper
1/2 cup mayo  
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
splash of white wine vinegar
handful of minced dill
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 tablespoon diced red onion

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place shrimp on sheet pan lined with foil and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. 
Roast for 5-8 minutes just until shrimp are pink and firm.  Allow to cool 3 minutes. 
Because I was planning to serve this on rolls, at this point I cut each shrimp in half. 
Combine all remaining ingredients and when shrimp are cool, add shrimp to sauce and mix well.  Season with more salt and pepper if needed.  Chill if not serving immediately.

Black Bean Burgers

I love trying new recipes for veggie burgers.  Recently, I was in the mood for a Mexican-inspired burger so I found this recipe on Epicurious for black bean burgers and gave them a shot.   They are very good and hold up well on the grill, which to me is the best part!  Top with traditional fixins or like I did: with guacamole, jack cheese, jalapenos and fresh salsa.  Mmmmm...

Black Bean Burgers
adapted from Epicurious
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 (4-ounce) can green chilis
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Pulse 1 can beans in a food processor with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, chilis, cumin, oregano, and cayenne until a coarse purée forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cilantro and remaining can beans. Add more bread crumbs if mixture is too wet.  Form into 4-5 patties.  Refrigerate before grilling; this will help to solidify the patties so that hey hold up on the grill.  When grilling, patties do not have to be in direct heat - just enough to heat through.
May freeze any unused patties for later use.