Swoony Vodka Sauce & Heart-y Salad

Jeannene's favorite things to eat are steak and pasta. Last week, I wanted to make a special dinner for her, so I went with Rachael Ray's vodka cream sauce on pipe rigate, with a salad starring romaine, hearts of palm, and artichoke hearts, and a loaf of Italian bread. At first, I was distressed over how thin the sauce looked, thinking I was going to end up with bland pasta and a puddle of sauce at the bottom of the pan. However, once I tossed the pasta with the sauce, it was vividly flavorful. I will definitely be making this one again! I ate the leftovers for lunch and dinner and lunch again last week, too. I am still not tired of them. The recipes come from her 30-Minute Meals 2, which is a great collection of entire meals, including dessert, that you can make easily after work. Lots of terrific ideas, from family dinners to romantic special occasion meals. Here's my adaptation:

Vodka Cream Pasta

1 tbsp. olive oil 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 tbsp. butter Salt and pepper, to taste

3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 c. heavy cream

1 small onion, finely chopped 16 oz. small, shaped pasta (penne, pipe rigate, shells)

1 c. vodka 20 leaves basil, torn into bits

1 c. chicken stock

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook garlic & onions in oil and butter about 3-5 minutes. Add vodka and cook about 3 minutes, to reduce by half. Add stock and tomatoes, with their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Season with salt & pepper, then allow to cook gently. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. While everything's cooking, make your salad. Then, stir the cream into the sauce and heat through. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and basil leaves. Serves 4-6.

Heart-y Salad

1 heart of romaine, sliced thin horizontally 14 oz. quartered artichoke hearts, drained

A generous handful of torn basil leaves 4 oz. shaved pecorino or asiago (I used shredded. Don't.)

14 oz. salad-cut hearts of palm, drained Balsamic vinegar & olive oil

1/4 lb. prosciutto, torn into narrow strips Salt & pepper

Toss romaine with basil. Wrap hearts of palm in prosciutto. Add to romaine, along with artichoke hearts. Scatter cheese on top and drizzle with oil & vinegar. Season with salt & pepper. Serves 4-6.