Sausage Mushroom Alfredo Pasta

First of all, let me reiterate.....I am not a food stylist or a very good photographer.  Now, with that out of the way, let me just say, I am pretty good at finding recipes that I just love.

I really do try to keep my pasta dishes down to just a few per month (I have absolutely given up the whole wheat version, yuckkk!!!!) because of the simple carb thing.  But I do loves me pasta!  So if I'm going to make it, it has to be good.

So for me, this is one of the best.  Italian sausage, mushrooms, alfredo sauce.  And outside of the non-complex carb thing, this can be one of those not-that-bad-for-you pasta dishes.  Use turkey sausage and prepared alfredo sauces (which have really come down in calories and fat....I used Emeril's Roasted Garlic which has only 60 calories and 4 grams of fat for 1/4 cup).

I served it with a Caesar salad and a whole-grain baguette.  Perfection.

SAUSAGE MUSHROOM ALFREDO PASTA (4 servings)

1 large leek, white part only, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 links milk Italian sausage (8 oz)
2 Tbsp EVOO, divided
8 oz rigatoni pasta
8 oz fresh sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
1 (15 oz) jar roasted garlic Alfredo sauce
2 oz deli mushroom and leek (available at Publix, or use plain) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Bring water to boil for pasta.  Chop leek (white part only, 1 cup); chop parsley.

Remove sausage casing; cut almost in half (butterfly); turn sausage over and peel casing away (wash hands).  Preheat large saute pan on medium-high 3-4 minutes, stirring to crumble meat, or until no pink remains.  Meanwhile, cook pasta following package directions.

Remove sausage from pan.  Add remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to same saute pan, then add mushrooms and leeks, cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in wine, simmer 2-3 minutes or until reduced by one-half.

Stir in Alfredo sauce; bring to a simmer.  Meanwhile, shred cheese (1/2 cup) into sauce, whisk until melted.  Stir in pasta and sausage, cook and stir 1 minute.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Recipe Source: www.publix.com/aprons