Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Smoke theme and Penne alla Vodka

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date. This is my 'Smoke' themed piece, an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"). Just add your marshmallows and hotdogs here!

 For the dinner date, I am showing my Penne alla Vodka.  It is a rich and delicious sauce.  Here is my recipe:

3-4 slices of proscuitto, chopped

a sprig of basil leaves, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

2-3 tbs olive oil

1 tbs unsalted butter

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4c vodka

3/4 c parmesan cheese, grated (I prefer to use grano padano)

1/2 c pasta water

1/2 tsp dried parsley (you can use fresh if you have it)

3 c penne pasta

1 c light cream

Cook the pasta in salted water, save a half cup of pasta water.

Saute garlic, red pepper, basil in olive oil and butter.  Add proscuitto.  When it is browned, remove from the heat to ensure the vodka doesn't flame up.  Add the vodka.  When it settles, return to the heat and reduce for about 3 minutes.  Add the crushed tomatoes and the pasta water.  Reduce the sauce for about 30 minutes.  Add the cream and stir for about 3 minutes until thickened.  Mix in the parmesan cheese and parsley for another 3 minutes.

Add the sauce to the pasta as required.

Reduced sauce should look like this

Sauce with parmesan added

Wednesday Memes

 

KFC Switzerland

 My brother-in-law who was touring Switzerland last month was so happy to see a KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) franchise there, one of his favourite restaurants!  Unfortunately they were heading to Geneva and had no time to stop there.

However they found many more KFC's along the way and tried one.  Of course it was a bit different tasting but satisfied their curiosity.  

McDonald's Switzerland

 

My sister was in Switzerland with her husband and other family to attend a wedding last month.  This was a McDonald's restaurant there.  Look at all the yummy pastries available there!

Her hubby was happy to see familiar food!  He seems comfortable with food he is used to.

fried apple pie

Ovaltine McFlurry - Ovaltine is popular here

Sunday Smiles - Perfect Camouflage and Fall Deco

 The perfect camouflage doesn't exist.  Does it? Let me know if you see him. 

And my fall deco is up!

Speaking of Fall, I took this photo of some early signs in the neighbourhood yesterday.

 Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.

No Sugar Ice Cream and the ball game

 I decided to try this no sugar ice cream and it is delicious!  The carb count is nearly half that of regular ice cream in this brand.

My diabetic husband M is enjoying it, albeit in small portions, that is how he handles all desserts.  He went to the Blue Jays baseball game this week, they had good tickets behind home plate.  Unfortunately they lost against the Texas Rangers who swept them.

At the Ball Game

Friday Art - Polar Bears and I am back!

Hello, I am back from a wonderful break, just in time to share my Friday Art. 

 I am showing my polar bear ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2").  It is based on a Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWL) image I saw on one of their notepads.

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art for Fun Friday.

I went on an Eastern Caribbean Cruise with my 3 sisters for a week in late August.  My brother got a new job so couldn't make it.  On the cruise, we planned a couple of fun snorkelling excursions, ate fabulous food on the ship, enjoyed the entertainment on the ship and even the casino.  We spent a few days in Miami at either end of the cruise.  It gave us a chance to see family and friends.  One sister lives in Miami.  One lives in California and the other lives in Toronto like me.  It was a success and hopefully we can do this again sometime.  Our families missed us but it was a great break.  I will share details of the trip in upcoming posts in a few weeks.