So years ago, when I lived in San Clemente, CA, I met a guy … isn’t that how all crazy stories start?

Actually, the guy I met was a neighbor. He was from Italy and I LOVED listening to him speak ALMOST as much as I loved eating his food. One day when we were all sitting out by the pool, he told me he’d teach me how to make one of his pasta dishes. I’m not dumb .. this man could COOK. I took him up on it and supplied the wine it would take for me to learn as well. What? You can’t cook pasta without sipping wine in my book!

Years later, I can’t recall his name … but I can definitely remember the dish he taught me. I used to make it all the time until my hips wouldn’t fit through the door . Seriously, I stopped making it when we went on a diet (much to Ron and Zac’s disappointment as it’s their FAVORITE). I told them that we’d start a new tradition on New Years Eve and that I’d start making it once a year for them as a treat since we don’t really go out for NYE.

So here’s the recipe passed down through generations in my old neighbors family. I lovingly call it, “Apply That to My Hips Pasta”.

Ready to make it? Here we go.

:: pour self glass of wine ::

• 1 lb. bacon
• 1/2 of a white onion
• 5 sprigs of basil
• 5 cloves of garlic (2 will be pressed – 3 to be fried)
• 3 small tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp oregeno
• 1tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (2tsp or more if you want to turn up the spice factor)
• 1/4 tsp garlic pepper
• 1/4 Cup of water
• 3/4 Cup of heavy whipping cream
• pine nuts

Before I get started. I have to brag. Ron and Zac got me the BEST kitchen gadget ever. I have trouble using my food processor sometimes because it makes everything so small (and sometimes like mush). They got me this and I MUST say this is probably my favorite thing in the kitchen right now. It’s a multi chop from William Sonoma. I love that it takes just a minute to chop up all my stuff. Here’s what it looks like:

Check out the tomatoes in the bottom … and the onions … I love that they are all so uniform. It makes the OCD in me HAPPY.

Back to our lesson. :: sips wine ::

Take the bacon out of the packaging and slice it so that you get little strips/bits of bacon. Put them in your pan and cook them until they are crisp. Drain the fat. Add the white onion and caramelize the onion with the bacon.

Once the onions are soft, add the chopped tomatoes, chopped basil (save a little for finale), fresh pressed garlic, oregano, salt, garlic pepper and crushed red pepper.

Let everything simmer together and wait for anyone in your house to come down and ask, “what are you cooking?”. Seriously, the house will smell fabu about this time. :: sips the wine ::

Once everything kind of gels together (about 5 min), you will add the tomato sauce. Once the tomato sauce is blended in with everything (about 5 min), add the heavy whipping cream. Here’s a photo of what the coloring should resemble at this point.

Let the sauce simmer on low while you cook the fettuccine. This will also keep everything nice and warm until you’re ready to serve. (Secret tip: Take a little taste and if you want the sauce to be a little spicier … add just a couple of dashes of tobasco.)

:: pours another glass of wine ::

In a sauce pan, fry up slices of garlic in a little olive oil and once they are brown, put the garlic chips on a paper towel to drain off the excess oil. They will be nice and crispy when it’s time to plate the dish.

In the same pan, wipe out the excess oil and toss in a couple handfuls of pine nuts and brown them. Not too dark, but just a golden brown. I don’t measure these. I love pine nuts so I pretty much just eyeball it.

Once the fettuccine is done, drain it and put it into a large bowl. Slowly add the sauce and stir it in. Plate it and then add a couple of the garlic chips, some of the remaining basil and sprinkle some pine nuts over the top.

:: opens a fresh bottle of wine for dinner :: oops …

Oh man … my mouth is so wishing it were New Years again just typing it. You will LOVE this dish.