Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  Today on the blog is my Sun Dried Tomato Vodka Sauce that I made for Galentine’s Day (more on my tablescape this week).  This sauce is rich, creamy, and cheesy, with a heavy dose of tomatoes and a hint of vodka.  This sauce is a combination and texture of a tomato base and a Alfredo sauce and pink in color.  I’ve made it several times several different ways and have bounced between using penne noodle and rigatoni noodles.  In this recipe I used penne.  This particular recipe was first found on Half Baked Harvest in which I changed to suit our taste.

What is Vodka Sauce and where was it first established?
https://www.paesana.com/blog/the-story-behind-the-sauce-vodka

Vodka sauce is known as a thin, smooth pink sauce with an acidic tomato-y bite that’s tempered by a cream finish. As the sauce cooks over a low flame, the tomatoes caramelize and turn jammy, melding and combining with the vodka.

Like most Italian recipes and sauces, there’s a measure of debate as to where and when it was first established. Unsurprisingly, the two places that lay claim to the invention of vodka sauce are New York City and Italy.

First I chopped one sweet onion and sautéed it in olive oil.  As the onions were cooking down, I added minced garlic.  The garlic becomes fragrant after about 3-5 minutes and that’s when it’s time to add the seasonings, followed by both the whole tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and vodka.  As the vodka cooks down, break up the whole tomatoes and drain the sun-dried tomatoes before adding to the sauce.  You don’t want the sauce to be oily.  With an Immersion Blender, blend all ingredients together until well blended.

When your sauce starts to boil, add the heavy cream, 1 jar of Vodka Cream Sauce by Classico and cheese, turn down to low and let simmer.

This sauce is so versatile in that you can make it quickly, easily, poured over pasta, wrapped in lasagna wheels, used as a dipping sauce for garlic bread or mozzarella sticks.  This recipe makes a great celebration dish and definitely ranks a ten on the delicious scale for a Valentine’s Day dinner!  This recipe was girlfriends and Mr. TAL approved!  

Enjoy!  Wishing you all a wonderful day!  And if you are still wondering what to make for dinner, try these fantastic recipes from Two Adorable Labs!  This week on the blog will be more pet related posts and my Galentine’s Day Tablescape!

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Jake’s Glazed Spare Ribs