Cyndi's Pasta Alla Medici

A while back, Olive Garden had a dish made with cheese tortellini, alfredo sauce, ham, mushrooms, and peas.  Hubby loved it.  They no longer serve it, so I recreated something similar at home for him and he just loves it!

You will need:
3 cups penne pasta

Sauce:
1 and 1/2 stick of butter
1 tb minced garlic
3 cups half and half
flour
container of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup chopped ham
1 small package fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced.
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First boil water for your pasta. Add a touch of salt and a pat of butter to avoid sticking and boiling over.
While that is cooking (about 10 minutes), start your sauce.
Use a large saucepan and melt a stick of butter.  When melted, start adding flour. Start with a 1/2 cup at a time.  Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone heat resistant whisk to make a paste.  Add half and half, and Parmesan cheese.  Stir to correct consistency and amount that you will need.  At this point, add your garlic. Adding it sooner will easily burn it.

 Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt a 1/2 stick of butter.  Add mushrooms and cook until tender.

 Add frozen peas, chopped ham, and cooked mushrooms to the sauce.  Add garlic, cream, or cheese as needed for taste or consistency.

Drain penne pasta.  Place pasta on a dish and spoon sauce over top.

TIPS:
You can use milk instead of cream if desired.
Use a large non-stick skillet for easy clean up, like this one from Amazon.
Use a silicone whisk like this one for best results.
Serve with easy Cresent Rolls, or any other kind of bread.