Creamy sausage & Mushroom Pasta

INGREDIENTS for 4 large servings

Meat department

• Sausage, Italian mild - 1lb

Produce department

• Garlic, minced - 2 Tbsp (or 8 cloves, crushed)

• Mushroom, shitake or oyster - 8oz (or portabella, large - 2), thick sliced

• Arugula - a couple of hand-fulls

Dry goods

• Pasta, bowtie - 16oz

Dairy aisle & Deli

• Half-and-half - 1 cup (or heavy cream - 3/4 cup)

• Parmesan cheese, grated - 1/2 cup

Condiments aisle

• Olive oil, extra virgin - 2 Tbsp

Spice rack

• Salt - 1 tsp

• Black pepper, coarse ground - 1/2 tsp

• Red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp

• (Optional) Parsley, dried - 1 tsp

18+

• White wine - 1 cup

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta as directed by package to al dente. Depending on the type of pasta used, cooking time may vary. It's best to start the water boiling first and throw in the pasta while making the sauce, which takes about 20 mins.

1. In a sauté pan, separate sausage into smaller chunks and cook until done or the edges slightly browned. Usage a strainer to separate the sausage and the the oil. Set sausage aside.

2. In the same pan, heat olive oil (2 Tbsp) over medium heat and add minced garlic (2 Tbsp). Cook until fragrant.

3. Stir in the sliced mushrooms (8oz) and cook until the pieces look soft and have shrunken in size. Even better if the edges are slightly browned.

4. Change the heat to high and add red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp), salt (1 tsp), black pepper (1/2 tsp) and (optional) dried parsley (1 tsp). Stir well.

5. Add in the white wine (1 cup). Expect some sizzle. Keep the mixture in light boil to reduce and to cook off the alcohol.

6. Reduce heat to low and stir in the half-and-half (or heavy cream). Keep the light boil for a minute. Turn off the heat and mix in the parmesan to thicken the sauce.

7. Toss in the pasta and arugula. Mix well before serving.

NOM NOM CHOMP!