vodka cream penne

February 5, 2015

Vodka Cream PenneThe winter slump has hit our household.  We are souped out, chili-ed out and ready for some fresh out of the garden fare.  Unfortunately February has just begun, we have got ourselves a looooooong ways to go.  It’s time to pull out the year round standby’s…pasta and pizza.  No matter what is going on outside we can always devour ourselves some Italian carbs.  Especially when the recipe calls for a cup of booze.  Vodka to be precise.

Vodka Cream Penne Vodka Cream PenneBelieve it or not you do not have to be a vodka fan to enjoy this dish.  It’s not like wine, where when cooked down the actual flavor of the wine is intensified.  To be frank I can’t exactly explain what the vodka does to the flavor.  All I know is that a boring can of tomatoes turns into something magical with just a little reduced vodka, stock and cream.  It is ridiculously easy and so so good.

Vodka Cream PenneThis would be an excellent dish to serve for Valentine’s.  Not only is it easy to whip up (save the effort for dessert) but vodka is a natural aphrodisiac.  That’s right, no need to shuck oysters, or clean an artichoke.  All you have to do is open some Svedka and throw it into your pasta sauce.  Just be careful who you dine with…

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

vodka cream penne
 
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Recipe type: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 shallots or ¼ red onion minced
  • 1 cup vodka
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
  • Coarse salt and pepper
  • 16 ounces dried penne
  • ½ cup half&half or cream
  • handful flat leaf parsley or basil, minced
Instructions
  1. Put butter an oil in pan over moderate heat. Add garlic and shallots (or onion). Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add vodka and reduce by half (about 3 minutes).
  2. Add chicken stock and tomatoes, season to taste and allow to simmer.
  3. While sauce is simmering boil salted water in large stock pot and add dried pasta. Cook until al dente.
  4. Add half&half (or cream) to sauce and allow to come to simmer and then remove from heat.
  5. Toss pasta in sauce and add fresh herb of choice. Serve with parmesan cheese if you would like.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray

 

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red velvet cheesecake brownies

February 4, 2015

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars

My husbands two favorite sweets, mashed into one bite.

Looking for something festive for Valentine’s Day I stumbled across these and knew they were what I was looking for.  As Adelynn and I whipped them together yesterday I got lost in thoughts for a bit.  Do you ever think back to the relationship you shared with someone years ago, and compare it to how different it is today?

Before moving back to Ohio we lived in a little apartment in North Carolina, nestled right in between some great places to eat.  As much as we love to try new restaurants, we so often found ourselves in a cozy booth at The Cheesecake Factory, and it usually ended with a hunk of red velvet cheesecake between us. Our life was so different then, before marriage, before babies.  We had all the time in the world in that booth, the two of us, with our cheesecake.  Life was so simple, before we had any of the wonderful that we have now.. but oh let me tell you, simple isn’t always better.  We haven’t been to The Cheesecake Factory in ages, or gotten lost in a piece of cheesecake.. but that’s okay.  The homemade version is pretty darn good, too.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars

5.0 from 1 reviews
red velvet cheesecake brownies
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Sweets
Serves: 9 bars
Ingredients
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
  • 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp red food coloring
  • ⅔ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, and line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with greased foil.
  2. In a small heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate until smooth. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla and food coloring. Pour in the butter/chocolate, and whisk to combine. Add flour and salt and stir until just combined and no flour streaks or lumps remain.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan and use spatula to evenly smooth the surface. Set aside.
  5. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla in your stand mixer. Beat on high for several minutes until the cream cheese is completely smooth and no lumps remain.
  6. Pour cream cheese layer on top of the red velvet batter, again using a spatula to even out.
  7. If desired, use a butter knife to swirl together the batters, or you can leave them separated as I did.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes until just set. Cool in the pan completely before slicing and serving. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

Red Velvet Cheesecake BarsXO,

shansig

 

P.S. Pretty Plain Janes is TWO today! Horray!

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nail art for valentine

February 3, 2015

There is a good reason we do not post many nail tutorials…we both have insecurities about our hands.  With that being said I would gladly take Shan’s freakishly small hands over my veiny, square beasts any day of the week.  Her nails absolutely look adorable painted.  Mine, well, let’s just say they are rarely covered in polish.  If they are it is at the request of a sweet 3 year old who wants her mommy to have painted nails too (no one can say no to that).

Regardless of not loving my hands I do still admire all the fabulous art out there.  Here’s a few of my favorites for those of you with non-scary hands to try:

6 simple and fun nail art designs to try!1valentine heart balloon/2stripes & hearts/3nude with hearts/4easy heart nails/5valentine chevron ombre nails/6dotted heart mani

Have fun with those nails!

xo,

brandyjsig

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long sleeve ease

February 2, 2015

So date night has yet to happen…mostly because we received 7″+ of snow and the thought of getting out of my sweats was well, not pleasant.  We are due though which means I will inevitably have to figure out what to wear (besides a giant sweatshirt).  Normally I love getting dressed but in my nursing postpartum, winter blues state it’s not my favorite.  One thing in my closet I can almost always count on is a long sleeve shift dress.  There is not a lot of think involved in rocking one of these.  Dress, tights, boots and that’s it folks…you’re done!  They are comfortable yet leave you feeling put together.  Added bonus – they make for a kick butt transitional season piece.

Do you not own a long sleeve shift dress?  What?!  Oh you have no idea what you are missing.  The good news is there are some fantastic options out there.  Here are some I am craving (#2, #5 & #6 especially):

Long Sleeve Dresses 20151Lulu’s near and far out black floral print dress/2Vila contrast stripe dress/3Forever 21 medallion print dress/4Forever 21 abstract v-back dress/5H&M patterned shift dress/6Paisie shift dress

xo,

brandyjsig

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pomegranate lemonade beer cocktail

January 30, 2015

pomegranate_lemonade_beer_cocktail_1If we ask Jettie who her favorite Disney princess is she will undoubtedly respond “All of them.”  Which color she likes best?  “Pink, purple, red, well…all of them really!”  Girl doesn’t like to play favorites with the fun things in life.  I can respect that because I don’t like to either.  When asked whether I prefer sangria or a beer cocktail for an afternoon of leisure?  Make them both and grab two glasses.

pomegranate_lemonade_beer_cocktail_2Today I am talking beer cocktail, one that I am not technically sure what to call.  Some would say this is a French Monaco.  I beg to differ because that drink is not only shaken but it is made with a pale lager.  This drink is  less maintenance (you simply dump it in a glass over ice) and made with white ale.  While perusing the internet I did come across a “Maybe Next Year” title in order to make it slightly more festive for the Super Bowl.  No one knows what that is so I am going with the obvious.  There is pomegranate, lemonade and beer in this – just as you would suspect.  And yes, it’s damn delicious.

pomegranate_lemonade_beer_cocktail_3 pomegranate_lemonade_beer_cocktail_4You may see the lemonade and assume this would be more of a warm weather drink (like our Summer Shandy).  The pomegranate juice however gives it a satisfying depth while the ale leaves a crisp and refreshing aftertaste.  This is something you could drink all day, or at least the entirety of a football game.

Cheers!

brandyjsig

 

pomegranate lemonade beer cocktail
 
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Author:
Recipe type: beer cocktail
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • 1oz POM Pomegranate Juice
  • 1oz Lemonade
  • Ale beer (Sam Adams Cold Snap is perfection in this)
Instructions
  1. Fill glass with ice and pour in POM and lemonade.
  2. Top with ale and enjoy!
Notes
For a large crowd fill a pitcher with equal parts lemonade and pomegranate juice. Set out with chilled beer and glasses full of ice. Instruct guests to fill glasses to desired sweetness and top off with a cold beer.

 

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