Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 box of whole wheat pasta
1 package Italian sausage
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz can tomato sauce, no salt added
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup vodka
6 Tablespoons heavy cream
fresh basil or parsley
Parmesan
red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on the box.
2. Cut the sausages into 1/2 inch pieces and brown in a fryer pan with a small amount of canola oil. Cook for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove sausages from pan and pour excess fat into bowl to allow to cool and dump into the trash. The fat could clog your drains, if you pour it down, while liquid.
4. Add the onions to the pan, saute for 1 minute, add the garlic.
5. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the sausage, frozen spinach, mushrooms back to the pan.
7. Pour the sauce into the pan and allow to reach a simmer.
8. Add the vodka, stir, and allow to simmer at least 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
9. Add the heavy cream, stir, and allow to reach simmer.
10. Add the red pepper flakes if desired, stir in the basil or parsley.
11. Serve with the pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.

*edited from Emeril Lagasse’s recipe on http://www.foodnetwork.com