Strawberry Fettucine?

Yes, strawberry fettucine! I received this treat from my girlfriend this week - a product made by one of our clients.

I don't cook a lot of meals during the week - usually some kind of lean protein and veg; with some rice, pasta or bread for the kids (they can burn off all of those carbs!).

But this weekend, it was mostly grey, rainy and cool and I felt like cooking! Thus far, I have made Crackerjack Cookies, cinnamon buns, and tonight I made some strawberry fettucine with vodka sauce, and savoury meatballs with marinara-vermouth sauce. (...and lots of fresh veggies, of course!!!) The pasta was a hit with my kids - my son found the chili after-bite a bit much, but he put a nice dent in his dinner plate, nonetheless :)

Here is the recipe for the vodka sauce - like much Italian cuisine, it is very simple and relies on the quality of the ingredients; I received the recipe at a local fundraiser hosted by De Luca (store and restaurant) and De Luca Fine Wines. I hope you will try and enjoy some evening when you are ready for some comfort food.

Vodka Sauce - For Pasta

Ingredients: 1/4 lb. butter 2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup vodka 1/4 lb. back bacon (or regular bacon, it is okay) 4 Tbsp. coarsely chopped Italian flatleaf parsley Salt, to your taste Dried crushed chilies, to your taste 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 lb. pasta of your choice (I used Nature's Farm brand Strawberry Fettucine) Method: Salt a large pot of water and place over high heat to cook your pasta. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Chop the bacon and add it to the butter, cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vodka and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Add in the cream, salt, half of the parsley, the chilies and the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Reduce heat and keep warm until the pasta is cooked and drained. Toss the pasta with the parmesan and half of the vodka sauce. Place pasta on a large serving platter and pour remaining sauce over top, garnishing with the reserved parsley. Absolutely divine - buon appettito!