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Dish It Girl - Christian motherhood, devotional for moms, easy recipesAuthor: Dina Deleasa-Gonsar and Christian Parenting Language: en-us Genres: Arts, Food, Kids & Family, Parenting Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Baked Penne Vodka and Part 2 of my “Christmas Story”
Wednesday, 10 December, 2025
This week may not feel “all calm and bright,” but you’re here - and I pray these few minutes give you space to breathe, reset, and hear exactly what God wants to speak into your life. If you missed last week’s episode, be sure to listen to Part 1 of my story about Siena’s birth and my journey through postpartum depression.In this episode, I continue sharing how my experience with postpartum depression became part of my Christmas story - the season when the panic attacks began, the baby blues didn’t lift, and the pressure of who I thought I “should” be left me exhausted and ashamed. Trauma, NICU stress, and new motherhood changed everything, and I struggled deeply with comparison and feeling like I was failing.But God began teaching me to slow down, accept the season I was in, release the “always/never” thinking, and pay attention to small moments of contentment - tiny reminders of His presence when I felt overwhelmed.The holidays can highlight the places we hurt, but the Christmas story reminds us that we never walk alone. God sees you, hears you, and strengthens you in your weakest moments. Christmas marks the beginning of the greatest hope - we can let that hope lift some of the weight we carry.Knowing that holiday gatherings are in full swing, and whether you’re hosting or just trying to get dinner on the table between events, I’ve got you covered this week in the kitchen:Featured Recipe: Baked Penne Vodka, This recipe lives in my cookbook, At the Kitchen Sink (linked below in resources) Sicilian Fig CookiesLondon Broil ToastsChristmas NachosBaked Penne VodkaServes 5 to 6Prep: 20 minutesCook: 40 minutesIngredients1 (8 ounce) block whole milk mozzarella cheese1 pound penne2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons garlic, minced1 teaspoon crushed red pepper1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper¾ cup vodka4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter½ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped½ cup heavy cream¼ cup mascarpone cheese3 cups baby spinach, rough chopped½ cup finely grated Pecorino RomanoInstructionsPreheat the oven to 375 degrees.Cut six ¼”inch slices off the block of cheese and grate the remaining cheese using the large holes on a box grater; set aside.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne in the boiling water according to the package directions until al dente, then drain the pasta.Meanwhile in a large, high-sided saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat.Add the garlic and red pepper and sauté, stirring gently, until fragrant, for 30 seconds to 1 minute.Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir gently to combine.Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes.Add the vodka and continue to simmer until it coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes.Add the butter and stir until melted.Add the basil and heavy cream, stirring constantly as you add it, until fully combined and cook for an additional 3 minutes.Remove from the heat, add the mascarpone and stir until melted and fully combined.Fold in the spinachResources:Resources: Dina’s Cookbook- https://www.amazon.com/At-Kitchen-Sin...Catch the podcast anywhere: https://lnk.to/dishitgirl 🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes!
