Sometimes Simple, Sometimes Grand, Always Declicious
Now I realize there are a million and one recipes for spinach artichoke dip out there, really I do. But dag nabbit; it’s a woman’s prerogative to have a serious flavor craving and, in turn, follow said craving, all the way to the ooey gooey dip bowl conclusion. You know I’m right because you’ve been there yourself. Don’t try and deny it, we both know better. Allow me to set the scene.
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Being the native Northern girl that I am, living in the south can sometimes be, well, a little different. The weather’s a whole bunch hotter, there’s a certain “twang” from the natives and the dishes lend themselves to a completely unique world of flavors from what I grew up with. My Northern roots are a strong part of who I am, but having now resided in North Carolina for an extended period along with ample time spent in Hilton Head, SC where my parents live, the Southern influences that are such an integral part of the culture here are beginning to waggle their way into my life. I have recently channeled my inner Southern “Sista” and let me tell ya, I’m liking her a whole lot. Between this dish today and the upcoming Fried Green tomatoes recipe, I could easily welcome my newly discovered Southern side to the table on a regular basis.
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Kids say the darndest things. Last night we were sitting down to dinner, enjoying some quality time, when Alex made a sudden declaration that he didn’t like meat. “All meat?” I inquired. “No meat.” he replied. So I asked him the next logical question that came to my mind. “Do you think you might want be a vegetarian when you grow up?” An overly exaggerated look of utter frustration washed over his face as he rolled his eyes at me and sighed. “I thought we already discussed this. I want to be an ice cream truck driver when I grow up!” Silly, silly mommy for asking such a ridiculous question. But hey, as long as he drives his truck through my neighborhood it’s all good to me.
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I’m thrilled to have Christy from Fudge Ripple as a guest poster for Mommie Cooks today! Her unique writing style drew me instantly into her blog and the delicious recipes keep me coming back for more. I hope you enjoy reading and tasting her delicious creations as much as I do. When you’re finished here, be sure to stop over and check out her blog. I promise you won’t be disappointed. On with the show!
when i received Julie’s kind invitation
to share a recipe with all of you
i got so excited
i had so many ideas about what i should share
and this one stuck
a recipe
that brings back memories of my wonderful
grandma
today
i share with you
spaghetti alla vodka
made with vodka soaked tomatoes
this is really simple. peel tomatoes and cram into a jar, use a skewer to secure tomatoes if they start to float to the top. fill the jar with vodka and store in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. i make several jars because i like to use the tomatoes and the vodka for my sauce. leftover vodka is really great for a bloody mary pick me up.
spaghetti alla vodka
1 lb spaghetti or pasta of choice
olive oil
1/2 of small onion–finely diced
2 garlic cloves–finely diced
6-8 basil leaves–chiffonade
1 large tin peeled whole tomatoes or combination of vodka soaked tomatoes and tinned tomatoes to equal about 4 cups whole
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup tomato soaked vodka (or other vodka you have on hand)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
cook pasta in salted water, according to package instructions. cook onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat. meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse until it is smooth. do not allow the onions and garlic to brown, but let them begin to soften and become translucent. at this point, add the tomatoes and vodka and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. add the basil, red pepper flakes and heavy cream and allow to heat through. stir in parmesan, then toss drained pasta in. if the sauce seems too thick, use a bit of the pasta water. shave a bit of parmesan on top of each individual serving, along with additional crushed red pepper, if you like spicy.
Have you ever bought one of those packs of beans from the grocery store? You know the ones, they have 17 different flavors of legume in the assortment and a recipe for the same old soup on the back every time you pick it up.
Well, I just so happened to have one such bag gracing the inside of my pantry a few weeks back that was bellowing at me to eat it. Being the adventuresome food blogger that I am, I decided to veer away from the bean sack’s dinner plans and instead attempt to create a dish of my own. It would be a chili dish. And while I was at it, I resolved to make it a chicken based chili. And if I was going to use chicken, why not take it one step further and make the base be something other than tomatoes. I was on fire; the inspirational juices were flowing like a glass of cool water on a hot summer day.
I threw in a little of this, and a bit of that. The steam was rising and the water was bubbling. All I needed was my witches hat, a wart and a good cackle, and I would have been concocting one seriously wicked witches brew. When the smoke cleared and the spoon was laid to rest, what remained was one seriously delicious white chicken chili.
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This past weekend Scott took me out to a nice dinner, just the two of us, to celebrate my birthday. We enjoyed a thoroughly delicious Greek inspired meal, as well as each other, with no kids for the first time since our trip to New York last August.
It’s amazing how when you spend so much time being parents, once you finally are given the opportunity to be a couple again, you’re not quite sure how to handle it. Sometimes finding topics to talk about other than the kids can be a challenge. I, however, being the mom to three boys that I am, quickly remedied that problem with a drink called a cream soda; and no I’m not talking about the old time soda shop cream soda. It was a mixture of Absolut Vanilia and Ginger Ale. And let me tell ya, I’ll take that version of cream soda any day of the week. It was a bit like going back to that fated soda shop only the shop keeper decided to spike my soda with something warm and fuzzy. Thank you very much Mr. shop keeper. Not to mention how adult it is; an absolute reminder that behind that rather expansive curtain of parenthood, Scott and I are indeed still a married couple at heart.
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