Drunken Chicken Penne Rosa

Girlies Gone Holiday. Or something like that. That’s what Abbey and her friends call their annual holiday get together. This year they thought that would save money and eat in. Meaning that T-Dawg fixes dinner, and they don’t have to pay a check at the end of the meal. Even better (for them), no waiter to tip.

No check for them means that I get stuck paying the grocery bill. Normally I would say “no big deal,” but I made pizza for 5 of them before they went to the Jay Z/Kanye concert, and that set me back about $40. I would rather have paid for a ticket and saw the concert.

For the eight of them, I could easily spend $75+. Fortunately Abbey asked for a pasta dinner. That shouldn’t break the bank, right? Knowing that she likes my vodka sauce, and her vegetarian friend Molly will now occasionally eat meat, I opted for a chicken version of Penne Rosa with a vodka sauce. Since they are under 21, I made sure to reduce the vodka before I add the cream and marinara. Lastly, I doubled the recipe and fed 10 people + leftovers for the oily beau hunk (that would be Abbey’s boyfriend for those unfamiliar with the movie “16 Candles”). In the end the cost was minimal, and was more than offset by the clean plates I took off the table. In the end, isn't that really why we do it?

Chefs Note: The hardest part of fixing this for a large group is getting the heat (spice) right. I like mine spicier than normal, and I like to cook the red pepper flakes a while in order to balance the heat throughout the dish. This is all comes down to meal management, and must be handled with care.

Chicken Penne with Vodka Sauce

(Serves 6)

 

1 to 1 ½ lbs cooked chicken breast, diced

1 lb penne rigata (cooked al dente in salt water)

1 teaspoon (or ¼ to ½ teaspoon for sensitive palates) crushed red pepper flakes

Marinara Sauce (makes ~1 quart)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion (medium), finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ cup red wine

1 large can (25 to 28 oz) crushed tomatoes

( or sub 14 oz can of tomato puree  + 14 oz can of petite diced tomatoes)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Vodka Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1 small (or ~2 tablespoons finely chopped) shallots

1 quart marinara sauce

1 cup vodka

1 cup heavy cream (or lighten with ½ cup cream and ½ cup 2% milk) at room temperature

½ cup grated parmesan

To prepare the marinara – heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onion until translucent or about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for additional 1 or 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook on medium-high heat until the liquid is almost gone, or about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

To prepare the Vodka Sauce – heat the butter until melted over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the vodka and cook until reduced by about ½, or about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add the cream at ¼ intervals every 3 minutes until heated through, or about 15 minutes.

Add the marinara and red pepper flakes to the vodka sauce until heated through, and it just starts to bubble. Add the parmesan cheese and stir until well combined. Add the diced chicken and pasta, and when heated through, serve with warm Italian bread, Sicilian butter (olive oil and seasonings), California red wine, and Kansas City love. Mangia!

My Best Chili EVER. And I gave it away.

Last week we learned that our neighbor passed away. She had been battling lung cancer for some time. I knew that she was not doing well when I heard that her high school best friend from the east coast was staying with them as her caregiver. I am saddened by her loss, and I feel for the family. But as her husband (John) said earlier today, she’s no longer in pain.

I really like John. He’s an easygoing guy that runs his own business and loves to golf. He borrowed my travel club bag when he went to the Caribbean, and brought me back a cap from the course he played, as a token of his appreciation. That was cool.

When I learned of Lisa’s diagnosis earlier this year, I made her some of my Mac & Cheese. She came by shortly after to drop off a graduation present for Abbey, and complimented the gesture. Do that, and I can’t wait to cook for you again. Unfortunately I did not cook for her again. I wish I had. But since her funeral is 3 days away, I thought that I’d make something and drop it off. I remember when Peg’s mom, and later my dad, passed away. It seemed like the food was dropped off by the truckload. But it disappeared just as quick, and man, was it appreciated.

Since the weather turned cold, I made up some chili and cornbread. I have been working on the chili recipe for a while. It’s a blend of two of my favorite recipes, and each time it gets better. Today it might have reached perfection. I say that because, gosh darn it, I (only) made exactly 1 bowl more than the volume of the containers I bought. I ate just enough to know that it was good! I think tomorrow I’ll see if I can repeat near perfection.

Because most families have “Some like it hot” and “Some like it not” AND very few slow cookers can handle the mass of what’s being cooked, here is what I do. Just before you add the flour/water mixture, divide the chili. Put ½ back in the pot used to cook the meat, and leave ½ in the slow cooker. Combine 1 tbspn flour/corn starch and 1 cup hot water, and add to the slow cooker. Add the same water/flour mixture to the pot over low heat. You will then add the cayenne/red pepper flakes to slow cooker only. Cook each for about an hour.

Mo Meat Chili

(Serves everyone, and then some or about 12 servings)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ lb thick sliced bacon (~ 5 slices) cut into ½” pieces

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 small onions, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped bell peppers (green and/or red) - Optional

4 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon paprika (smoked preferred)

2 tablespoon2 Chipotle salsa - Optional

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb lean (~90%) ground beef

1 lb sirloin steak - trimmed and diced in 1/2 “ chunks

¾ lb ground pork

1 bottle American Lager Beer (I use Land Shark)

½ cup tequila

1 can (25 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (25 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14 oz) dark kidney beads

1 can (14 oz) white kidney beans

1 can (14 oz) black beans

Cayenne or Red Pepper flakes, to taste (I use ¼ teaspoon cayenne or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for ½ of the batch)

2 tablespoons mesa (or corn starch)

2 cups water

Heat a medium stock pot and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Cook the bacon until it just starts to turn crispy. Add the garlic, onions, peppers, chili powder, and cumin until vegetables start to wilt. Add the ground beef and cook until it browns, stirring frequently to break it up. Add the paprika, oregano, salt and pepper, and pork, stirring frequently to break it up.

Drain and rinse the beans, and place in the slow cooker with the beer, diced tomatoes (with juice) and crushed tomatoes.  

Once the pork is cooked through, transfer all of this to the slow cooker with the beer, tomatoes, and beans. Add the sirloin steak to the same pan, and sear until browned. Add the browned steak and the tequila to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.

Combine the mesa/corn starch with the hot water, mixed well, and add to the chili. Add cayenne/red pepper cook for about 1 hour more. Serve with corn bread, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and lime wedges.