Garlic Butter Sausage Bites with Creamy Parmesan Pasta

Ingredients:

For the Sausage Bites:

1 lb Italian sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

For the Creamy Parmesan Pasta:

8 oz pasta rotini 

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon Salt

1 /8 pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Fresh parsley, chopped (garnish)

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the sausage pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, around 10 minutes. 

Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

In a separate pot, boil the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside, reserve a little pasta water.

In the same skillet used for cooking the sausage, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter on medium heat. Next, add the heavy cream, garlic powder and onion powder, stirring constantly until the cream is heated through. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese, and continue stirring until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing it in the creamy sauce. Add a little reserved pasta water if the sauce needs thinning. You can stir in the sausage bites or place them on top of the pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley.