Alright, I can’t wait any longer, I have to tell you guys all the good news. Since I am the most organized person in the world (I have only lost my cell phone about twice. Last year.) and because I love lists, here we go:

1. I’m married (ok, I know this isn’t exactly news, but hey, I have to put down everything that’s making me happy, so stop nitpicking and read!)

2. I’m moving to a beautiful new apartment

3. My baby a.k.a. Hugo the puppy will soon be on his way here from India

4. I have a new camera!!!! (Look! Aren’t the pictures wayyyyy better already? Aren’t they? Of course they are. Stop shaking your head)

aaaaand….. drumroll please

5. I will be starting school soon!!!!!!!

For those of you that are interested, here are the details -

In a few months, I shall start training at the French Culinary Institute to become a baker and pastry chef.

Aren’t you happy for me???

I’m happy for me! (I know, I know. Ungrammatical, but who cares???)

but wait, the list isn’t done with yet. I saved the best for the last!!

6. I’m sharing with you, the recipe for the world’s best vodka sauce.

Make this and you will agree with me. I mean, just look at the picture.

Sigh… If only I hadn’t eaten about a ton of it just now, I would definitely go back for a fifth helping.

Let me warn you though, this isn’t your typical vodka sauce. Here’s what makes this sauce the best in the world – mushrooms.

Lots and lots of mushrooms. If you do this right, there should be a flavor explosion when you take your first bite. And its so easy, you can’t do it wrong! Hey, even I can get it right!

To begin with, get out some mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, an onion and some olive oil. You can pick up the rest of the ingredients as we go…

Oh, wait, did I forget to mention the cream? Silly me.

I guess my mind is hoping that if I don’t say it, my hips won’t realize.

Finely dice the onion.

I used a red onion. Only they’re never red, are they? Someone color blind must have named them.

Oh, did I offend the color blind section of my readers? Forgive me. I shall make you pasta to make it up to you.

Get a clove of garlic. Or two.

Look! My clove is starting to sprout! It’s alive!!!

I killed it though. And then minced it.

No, I do not feel guilty. Do you?

Thats what I do to people (or cloves of garlic) that annoy me.

Heat a skillet/saucepan/whatever you like.

Pour in one tbsp of olive oil when its hot.

Add the onions and let them sweat a bit on a low flame.

After 2 minutes or so, add the minced garlic.

Saute for a minute and inhale.

Garlic heaven, right?

Now for the mushrooms. Lots of them, remember? Slice the mushrooms thinly.

Thin slicing + lots of mushrooms = a huge pile of sliced mushrooms.

Look at the last panel in the picture above – that is just from two mushrooms. And we’ll be using a lot more than that!

Bung in the mushrooms. And while they start cooking, get out your pasta.

Quick, before that meaty, earthy aroma fills the kitchen, and your knees buckle.

See? Whole wheat pasta. Thats my way of cancelling out all the guilt for all that heavy cream I’ll be adding soon.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water and drain.

Reserve a couple of tbspns of the water. Just in case the sauce gets too thick.

I personally prefer thinning it out with chicken stock in this particular recipe, but pasta water works fine too!

This is my husbands second best bottle of vodka. I have no idea where he stashes his best, and trust me I’ve been looking hard (he’s been away for a few days on a business trip). That boy is good at hiding his things. A little too good if you ask me.

But, as tempted as I was to add a good swig of this to the sauce, I could not. The bottle is still unopened, you see. And as ingenuous as I can be, I’d rather not risk it this time. (I figured I’d have enough explaining to do about that bottle of our favorite burgundy that went missing last night)

So, its the cheap stuff for me now.

To cook with of course.

Boy, you do have a nasty, suspicious mind, don’t you?

Saute the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, then switch off the flame and add the vodka. (Unless you’d like to chance flambeing your face while you’re smelling the mushrooms).

Cook for a few more minutes until it looks like this.

Puree a tomato, and add it to the mushrooms.

Let the tomato puree cook a bit on a medium flame. Five minutes ought to do it.

This is where I like cheating a bit. Tomato puree is all very well, but to really amp up the flavor, you need to add a tsp of tomato pasta.

Add salt.

Red pepper flakes. I like love the heat. I usually add a lot. I’m not kidding.

It’s all my mothers fault. She brought me up on bland food. And then I discovered really hot food.

So now, I make up for what I lost in my childhood by throwing in 3 or 4 tsps of the stuff.

It makes my husband first sniffle, then cry. Tears of joy I tell myself.

Well, that’s what you get for hiding things.

But you don’t have to add that much. Just add a tiny but more than you’re used to.

Come on.

I dare you.

Thyme. Tomatoes and thyme.

Tomatoes + thyme = Perfection.

Need I say more?

If you have fresh thyme, I’m jealous.

If you don’t, you can be my friend.

Parsley. Chopped as fine as you can.

Add about half a tbsp now. Leave one tsp for garnishing.

And now…drumroll again please. The CREAM. Look at how lusciously white and silky smooth it is.

Mmm…

Mix it all up and cook for another 3 minutes.

Garnish with parsley. Drizzle a tsp of extra virgin olive oil over the pasta. It somehow brings the whole dish together. Whats more, that covers your daily dose of healthy oil.

Grate some Parmesan/Pecorino over the pasta. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Or warm, crusty, garlic bread.

Make me a dinner like that. And I’ll be your slave for life.

RECIPE: (serves 2)

Ingredients:

extra virgin olive oil                     -        1 tbsp and 1 tsp

onion                             -         1/2 of a medium onion, finely chopped

garlic                                               -         1-2 medium cloves, finely chopped

mushrooms (white)                     -         2 cups, sliced

vodka                                              -         1/4 cup

tomato                                            -        1 medium, pureed

tomato paste                                 -        1 heaping tsp

salt                                                  -        as needed

red pepper flakes                         -        as much as you can handle!

thyme                                             -        1 tsp

parsley                                           -        1/2 tbsp and 1/2 tsp., finely chopped

heavy cream                                 -         3-4 tbsp

pasta                                              -        cooked,  1 & 1/2 cups

For the pasta:

Cook pasta in a pot of rapidly boiling, salted water until al dente.

For the sauce:

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottom pan/skillet.

Over a low flame, first sweat the onions for 2 minutes, then add the garlic.

After 1 minute, add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn off flame, add the vodka.

Turn the flame back on and continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes.

Add the tomato puree and cook on a medium flame for about 5 minutes, then add the tomato paste.

Cook for 2 more minutes, then add salt, red pepper flakes and thyme.

Lower the flame and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add 1/2 tbsp of parsley and then the heavy cream.

Cook until the sauce is the right consistency, 3-5 minutes.

Mix with the pasta.

Drizzle a tsp of olive oil over the pasta, garnish with the remaining parsley.

Grate good quality Parmesan/Pecorino over the pasta.

Serve with warm, crusty bread.