A tip I (think) I got from Dinner: A Love Story is to put a liquid measuring cup in your colander while your pasta is boiling then you can’t forget to save that pasta water while draining! Happy New Year and thanks for the veggie menu!
I’ve been making this menu on Sundays, entirely for my own enjoyment! My kids are picky, my husband doesn’t like tomato based things, and I don’t care (!!). 2025 was a year of swimming upstream and this year I’m determined for it to feel a bit easier, even though the situations haven’t changed.
So I’ll be making fancy pastas and good-all-week-kale-cesars to enjoy as workday lunches, for no one but myself 🥰
Sheepishly adding this in case it helps anyone else: be careful when adding the vodka to the pan if you have a gas range (and might also be balancing your toddler on your hip) - I spilled a little and the pan became a ball of fire for a minute. It went out quickly on its own and I tried again, children a safe distance away and flame off this time, and it still tasted amazing!
About the punch...I freeze an ice ring out of the punch I’m serving with pomegranate seeds and let it float in the punch so it doesn’t water it down but keeps it chilled
Highly recommend adding Trader Joe’s bomba sauce (or any other Calabrian chili paste) to make this spicy. But also perfect as is! Another fantastic recipe to have on repeat.
Omg thank you, Caro! This was amazing inspiration for our last minute hosting (with 2 kids) and keeping it as simple as possible! App: Cheese board plus fixings. Main: grilled steaks (with the rub from the caprese recipe circa July 4th), rigatoni with store bought vodka sauce, Caesar salad pack from the store. Perfect and simple and delicious. Thanks again and happy, healthy new year to your growing family!
For the Grilled Flank Steak with Creamy Pesto referenced in the menu - do you make the steaks with the rub referenced in the caprese recipe and then serve it with the creamy pesto? Or do you marinate it in the pesto like the chicken recipe that is referenced for the pesto recipe? Making this this weekend and would love more guidance on the flank steak with creamy pesto! :) THANKS!
A tip I (think) I got from Dinner: A Love Story is to put a liquid measuring cup in your colander while your pasta is boiling then you can’t forget to save that pasta water while draining! Happy New Year and thanks for the veggie menu!
LOVE this tip and love Jenny!!!
I’ve been making this menu on Sundays, entirely for my own enjoyment! My kids are picky, my husband doesn’t like tomato based things, and I don’t care (!!). 2025 was a year of swimming upstream and this year I’m determined for it to feel a bit easier, even though the situations haven’t changed.
So I’ll be making fancy pastas and good-all-week-kale-cesars to enjoy as workday lunches, for no one but myself 🥰
I absolutely love this.
Is whipping cream the same as heavy cream? That was all TJ’s had
Yes!
Making this for a crowd - need to triple. Think I can make triple the sauce in one pan or should I do it in batches?
Absolutely triple in one big pan or pot even. A Dutch oven would be great
This has to have taken a lot of time to write out, but I am so grateful for it! Thank you!!
Sheepishly adding this in case it helps anyone else: be careful when adding the vodka to the pan if you have a gas range (and might also be balancing your toddler on your hip) - I spilled a little and the pan became a ball of fire for a minute. It went out quickly on its own and I tried again, children a safe distance away and flame off this time, and it still tasted amazing!
Now this is an excellent thing to share 🔥🔥🔥 congratulations, you just flambéed!
About the punch...I freeze an ice ring out of the punch I’m serving with pomegranate seeds and let it float in the punch so it doesn’t water it down but keeps it chilled
Highly recommend adding Trader Joe’s bomba sauce (or any other Calabrian chili paste) to make this spicy. But also perfect as is! Another fantastic recipe to have on repeat.
Maybe the most excited I’ve ever been to cook a WTC meal
I fully understand this feeling, vodka sauce is thrilling.
Omg thank you, Caro! This was amazing inspiration for our last minute hosting (with 2 kids) and keeping it as simple as possible! App: Cheese board plus fixings. Main: grilled steaks (with the rub from the caprese recipe circa July 4th), rigatoni with store bought vodka sauce, Caesar salad pack from the store. Perfect and simple and delicious. Thanks again and happy, healthy new year to your growing family!
Oh that rub was amazing!
Holy crap I wanted to DRINK this sauce by itself. so good !!
35 weeks pregnant and not ashamed to admit I just licked the skillet clean of this sauce while waiting for my garlic bread to bake. SO GOOD
ALSO - if we are serving this menu for 6 adults will this menu be sufficient (i see it says serves 4-6) or should we 1.5 or 2x to be safe?
For the Grilled Flank Steak with Creamy Pesto referenced in the menu - do you make the steaks with the rub referenced in the caprese recipe and then serve it with the creamy pesto? Or do you marinate it in the pesto like the chicken recipe that is referenced for the pesto recipe? Making this this weekend and would love more guidance on the flank steak with creamy pesto! :) THANKS!
Hi! I'm going to make this recipe for a group of 8. Would you recommend making 1.5x or just doubling the recipe?
double and freeze any leftover sauce!!
Does the water/ACV sub for vodka change the taste at all?