January 4, 2012

Veggie Vodka Sauce

I can promise you that if this recipe got vegetables into me, it will get vegetables into your children.

I mean real vegetables.  Like I washed them and cut them up myself.  And I cooked them.  And I blended them.  And I added some vodka and cream for good measure.  And I ATE them.

Of course, I don't recommend pumping vodka into your child, but the alcohol content will cook out.  It can be left out altogether and you'll still have a delicious pasta sauce.  I love the vodka sauce you can buy in a jar, so when I over-ambitiously tried to make my own pasta sauce on a Tuesday night, I decided to experiment.  I just happened to have the vodka sitting on top of the fridge and the cream sitting in the fridge. 

A few nights later, I used the leftovers as pizza sauce.  More restaurants should do such things. 

Sorry 'bout the picture.  Sauce is sauce.  You get it.

Veggie Vodka Sauce
makes approximately 3 cups

1 cup diced (peeled) zucchini
1 cup shredded carrot
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
1/2 cup marinara sauce (I used what was leftover in a jar in the fridge.)
1 small diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/3 cup vodka
2 T. heavy cream

Pour some olive oil (2 T. or so) into a saute pan, and soften the onions, carrot, pepper, and garlic over medium heat.  Add the zucchini a few minutes into it.  Stir in the tomatoes and marinara sauce into the pan and let it come to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and let the sauce cool.  In a blender or food processor, blend the sauce together to eliminate any chunks.  Pour back into the pan.  Bring to a simmer again and add the vodka.  Cook for about 10 minutes more, then stir in the heavy cream to give it a nice blush color.

Serve over pasta with a sprinkling of shredded or grated Parmesan.

Shared at:
Cast Party Wednesday
These Chicks Cooked
Frugal Food Thursday

2 comments:

  1. Sounds yummy! I need to trick myself to eat veggies, too. lol I LOVE zucchini and like to fry some up and add it to spaghetti sauce. So good!

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  2. I'm definitely going to try this! I always find veggies in my fridge that are just a day or 2 too far along, so this would be a good use, plus an excuse to cook with alcohol which I've never tried haha

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