The Cat's Away

When my husband goes out of town, I make the most indulgent, creamy, cheesy meals in my repertoire. I swear I gain five pounds in five days, but I just can’t seem to control myself! I’ve really been trying to stick with healthy meals lately so when Elliott left on Sunday for a weeklong conference in Marco Island, I was determined not to fall off the wagon. Lucky for me (and for you!) I found a delicious compromise, Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce. This dish gave me that creamy sauce I love, but since its tomato based I don’t get all the calories and fat from a typical cream and cheese laden sauce. The sauce was rich and creamy with a lovely tomato flavor and it coated the pasta like a dream. I will definitely be making this again! Serve it with some homemade basil and garlic bread twists and a side salad and you’ve got one fabulous meal.

Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce

penne pasta (I use Dreamfields brand. It is a low-carb pasta and is delicious)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, depending on how spicy you like it

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup vodka

½ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

¼ cup whipping cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced (using fresh basil is important in this dish so don’t skimp on it)

parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; season with salt and pepper; sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté one minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add vodka; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half (note: this happens quickly!). Stir in chicken broth and tomatoes, season with more salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Place tomato mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of your blender to allow steam to escape and cover with a paper towel. Process until smooth (note: I tried using my immersion blender and it could not give me that perfectly pureed sauce I needed so definitely use your blender or food processor for this step). Return tomato mixture to pan; stir in cream. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked pasta and fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately and sprinkle each individual bowl with a couple tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Easy Homemade Garlic and Basil Bread Twists

one package refrigerated breadstick dough (opt for low-fat if available)

¼ cup olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

fresh basil, thinly sliced (you can substitute dried basil if necessary)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

parmesan cheese

Preheat oven according to package directions for your breadstick dough.

Coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Open the package of breadstick dough and separate the pieces, laying them flat on your baking sheet. Brush each breadstick with the garlic-infused olive oil (it’s okay if bits of garlic get on the bread – it just adds more flavor). Sprinkle each breadstick with the fresh basil, a little bit of parmesan cheese, some freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of salt. Grabbing both ends of the breadstick dough, twist in opposite directions two or three times. Let your kids (or significant other!) twist the breadsticks to get them involved. Bake according to package directions.

 Enjoy!