To say the guys in my house love pasta is an understatement. Spaghetti with marinara or lasagna have always been my husband’s favorites. When they were little, my two oldest boys always wanted pasta and always asked for a second helping of it. And it was one of the only things the littlest member of the family would shovel in his face without complaining.

So when I make pasta, I make pasta… usually two boxes at a time.

As for me… I’m just okay with pasta, but I need variety. Alfredo is my fav and now that the boys have gotten older, they’ve expanded their sauces (cream, Alfredo, pesto). However, back in the days of little ones when red sauce was the preferred pasta sauce, it’s what got stocked. UNTIL… the evening I reached for the marinara and realized, Crappola, I don’t have enough sauce!

The noodles were already boiling. The garlic bread was nearing its baking time in the oven. And although the store is just minutes away, my mind went into new recipe experimentation mode!

If I’m picking red sauce for pasta, it’s gonna contain a little vodka. So, I decided this would be an opportune time to make my own!

A splash of vodka… let’s make that two (and no, I didn’t do a shot or have a cocktail while making dinner)! A little of this, a little of that, and the compliments at dinner sounded like… “Mommy, this is really good!” and “Can you make this again?!”

While I really wanted to say, “Dang, I’m good!” I just secretly smiled knowing that I successfully salvaged dinner and answered, “Absolutely!”

Even now, years later, all the guys in my home more than happily scarf down this marinara variation!