Rotini Mac and Cheese Gluten Free

When you need to use up leftovers a casserole will do the job nicely.  I had some Barilla ® brand Gluten Free Rotini pasta that I have been wanting to try so that was the base for the casserole. I did not want to turn the oven on in this heat so stove top was what it was going to have to be. I looked on the Barilla web site to get some ideas of amounts and came up with this casserole using some shredded Asiago cheese I had in the freezer, 3 ounces of pork sausage patties I hadn’t fried for breakfast over the weekend and some half and half I had in the refrigerator.

 The pasta was very good. Until I told Bettie and Lyle it was Gluten Free they had no idea. So nice to be able to eat pasta. Any I have tried before was not good and fell apart when it was cooked. I will buy this again. The recipe turned out well and I am going to post what I did. Try changing it to use up your leftovers. Maybe some peppers or olives added would be good.

Rotini Mac and Cheese

5 ounces Rotini or Gluten Free Rotini

1 clove garlic

1 cup half and half

Dash of Sherry  (Optional)

salt and pepper

1 cup shredded Asiago cheese

⅛ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped chives

2 sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

3 ounces pork sausage (I use medium spiced)

 Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile brown pork sausage and remove from pan. Sauté garlic clove in salad oil for one to two minutes. Add the cream and thyme and salt and pepper. Simmer reducing the cream slightly. Add Sherry if using.

 Remove the cream from the heat and stir in the Asiago cheese and let it melt. 

Drain the pasta saving about a cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir in the sausage, Parmesan cheese and chives. Toss to coat. If too thick thin with some of the hot saved pasta water. Garnish with thyme or chives.