Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola (Penne w/ Vodka Sauce)

Well, another year of UW has come and gone and here I am, still stuck at this University as a Super Senior next year. I'm not going to lie, seeing the photos that my friends had posted on their big day made me jealous. I should've been up there with them, celebrating with them, entering into the real world with them but a decision made here and there, led me to this point. I can't wait until that day comes and I know it will come sooner than later.

I'm extremely proud of my friends that graduated and I congratulate the UW Class of 2013. Only bigger and better things are to come. Until then, let's cheers with some Vodka! ha.

I'm not a huge fan of alcohol, surprise surprise. For one, I get that wonderful "asian glow" and turn as red as an apple and two, people say alcohol has tons of calories so I'd rather drink a milkshake. ha. But cooking with alcohol is a different story. It definitely adds something you can't get otherwise. This Penne Alla Vecchia Betolla (Penne w/ Vodka Sauce) is no different.

Vodka is pretty flavorless overall but it definitely added something to the tomato sauce. Don't worry, you don't taste that "rubbing alcohol" flavor. It's tomatoey, creamy and has a bit of a kick in the back of the throat from the red pepper flakes. Serve it with your protein of choice, mine was chicken, and it becomes a meal.

Nick & Toni's Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola (Penne w/ Vodka Sauce)

Recipe by Joseph Realmuto

Ingredients
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
 Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside. 

Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.

Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.

-Aaron John

Apple Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Coffee Cake has always been a favorite of mine. Its moist cake and crunchy topping make a perfect combination. Coffee Cake was the first cake I ever made myself from scratch, just an fyi.

In the house, we had some leftover apples and I wanted to use it in some fashion. Then I remembered how Costco has an "Apple Streusel" type muffin and I decided I would try and recreate it in Coffee Cake form.

I used Ina Garten's recipe from her Blueberry Crumb Cake and tweaked the cake portion to contain apples and cinnamon and tweaked the crumb topping to contain some oats.

For an experiment recipe, it was a step in the right direction. It was moist, and I liked how I added in the oats into the crumb topping, giving it a nutty aspect. I would maybe add more apples to really get a prominent apple flavor in every bite though. Overall, a good day's work in my book!

Apple Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Adapted recipe by Me

Original recipe (Blueberry Crumb Cake) by Ina Garten

Ingredients
For the streusel: 
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup diced apples, (Gala or Granny Smith)

For the icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel: Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour, oats and walnuts. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake: Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, cinnamon, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the diced apples and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the icing: Combine the powdered sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake and allow to harden.

-Aaron John

Chicken Strips

Well, it's that time of year, I feel like everyone I know is graduating or done with their undergraduate career and here I am, stuck for another year. Can you say Super Senior? A part of me wishes I was graduating so that I can just be done with this chapter of my life yet the other part of me is glad because I don't feel completely set for the real world yet.

Either way you look at it, one more year and I'll be the one graduating with a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry and a minor in Diversity. Until that time, it's time to eat Chicken Strips. Deep fried chicken anyone?

For this recipe, I literally used what I had on hand. Basically, I diluted sour cream until it reached the consistency of buttermilk and added whatever spices I had. A little dip here and a dip there and Chicken Strips appear like magic. The magic of hot oil that is. 

Chicken Strips

Recipe by Me

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch thick pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Blackening Seasoning
1 1/2 cups flour
Canola oil for frying

Directions
In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream and water. (You can also use buttermilk instead of the sour cream/water combo). Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and blackening spice to taste. Try with about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp each and increase from there. You want enough of this mixture to coat the chicken completely.

Once seasoned to taste, add in the cut chicken breasts and let the chicken marinate for about 30 min to 1 hour.

In a clean paper/plastic bag, add in the flour. Season with about 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp blackening seasoning. Add in the chicken pieces that were marinating and shake the bag until the chicken is coated evenly. If desired, dip the chicken back into the marinade mixture and back into the flour and shake again. This will give the chicken a thicker coat.

Onto a plate, place the chicken in a single layer to allow the coating to "dry". This will ensure the coating won't fall off during the frying process. Let it sit for about 10 to 15 min.

In a pot or a deep fryer, heat canola oil to 350 degrees. Make sure the oil is not filled over half the depth of the pot. Once heated, add in the chicken strips about 3 or 4 at a time, depending on the size of the pot/deep fryer and fry until golden brown for about 6 min total, flipping the chicken halfway through.

Remove from the oil and cool on a cooling rack. Repeat the process of frying the rest

-Aaron John

Instagram Quickie: Chicken Quesadilla

There's nothing like the simpler things in life, especially when it comes to food. A couple weeks ago, it was no different. My family had a "Fajita Night" and with an abundance of tortillas, cheese, salsa and what not from Costco, there was no way it was going to disappear unless to make food with it. 

Quesadillas are one of the easiest things to make and probably one of the best simplest foods out there. You can really add anything to the inside. Whether it be left over Rotisserie chicken, spinach, mushrooms, anything can go in them. 

To make these Chicken Quesadillas, I used some of the leftover grilled chicken, onions, peppers, jalapenos from the night before. However, it's just as easy to make from the beginning. Just a little sauteing here and there, flipping it over and Bam! Chicken Quesadillas.

Chicken Quesadillas

Recipe by Me

Ingredients
2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

Fajita Style Filling
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Medium Onion, sliced
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, Sliced
1/2 Jalapeno, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Quesadilla Assembly
Cooked Chicken Breasts
Fajita Style Filling
4-6 Large Flour Tortilla
1 1/2 to 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese

Directions
Chicken Breasts
Heat up a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder and set aside until the skillet is hot. Once heated, add in the chicken breast and begin to brown on one side for about 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the chicken and let it cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and onto a plate once cooked. Cover with foil and allow the chicken to rest until ready to use.

Fajita Style Filling
In the same skillet you used for the chicken, add a tiny bit more olive oil and add in the garlic. Cook for about one minute and add in the Onion, Red/Green Peppers and Jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper and cook until everything becomes soft but still has a bit of crunch to them. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Once cooked, set aside in a bowl.

Final Assembly
Rinse out the skillet that was used for both the chicken and fajita filling. Place it back onto the stove over medium heat. While the skillet is heating up, cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Once the skillet is hot, add a tiny bit of olive oil to the pan and place the tortilla into the pan and move it around, lightly coating it with the olive oil.

Add in about 1/3 cup cheese evenly over the top of the whole tortilla. Next, take about 1/4 cup of the fajita filling to make a thin layer over half of the tortilla. Add enough chicken directly on top of the fajita filling so that there's chicken in every bite, again only on half of the tortilla. Finally, fold the portion with just the cheese over to the side with the filling, making a half moon.

Cook the quesadilla for about 2 to 3 minutes on both sides or until it reaches a light golden brown. Remove from the pan and cut it up into slices.

-Aaron John

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

A couple weeks ago, I tried to love pudding by making Aborio Rice Pudding. Sad to say, that didn't go over so well. After watching the "Worst Cooks in America" finale last week and seeing Bobby Flay's mentee making Bread Pudding, it gave me the next opportunity to take another stab at Pudding. 

I assumed Bread Pudding would be something I would like because it contained bread and if you know me, you know I'm a carb-aholic. But, you never know, pudding is a pudding, no matter how you slice it. Plus, I'm not exactly the type to like mushy bread so I was cautiously optimistic.

Did this Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding taste like a Cinnamon Roll? Not exactly. More like Cinnamon Bread with custard. Was it able to convert me? Not exactly either. I wasn't really feeling the texture so much. Once again, texture comes into play as to why I'm not a fan of pudding. By the looks of it, I don't know if I'll ever be a fan of Pudding, but maybe third time's the charm?

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Recipe by Aida Mollenkamp

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
1/3 cup nut-flavored liqueur (recommended: Di Saronno or Frangelico)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
7 cups large dice cinnamon challah (or plain challah or brioche plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon) (about 10 ounces challah)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in middle.

Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, liqueur, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until egg is broken up and mixture is smooth. Evenly distribute bread and walnuts in a 2 quart baking dish, pour custard mixture over bread, and allow to soak for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring about 8 cups water to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Evenly distribute remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over bread pudding. Set the filled baking dish into a larger roasting pan and add enough of the hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until custard is set and top is lightly browned, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from water bath and let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature.

-Aaron John