Pasta With Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Submitted by William Uncle Bill

"I found a similar recipe in our local newspaper, but it did not have the taste and flavor that I feel did it justice. So, I made numerous additions and came up with this tasty, delicious recipe."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 cup small penne pasta
• 1 cup tri-color spiral pasta (rotini vegetable pasta)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1⁄2 cup chopped small onion
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped small
• 1 cup chopped chopped button mushroom
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 2 tablespoons pesto sauce (I use 2 cubes of homemade frozen pesto)
• 1⁄3 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese (herb and vegetable)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh basil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

directions

1. In a large cooking pot or pasta pot, fill 3/4 full with hot water and bring to boil.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of salt and penne and rotini pasta.
3. Bring to boil and continue to cook uncovered for about 20 minutes or until el dente.
4. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan on medium-high heat add olive oil and butter.
5. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, but do not burn.
6. Add mushrooms, sweet red pepper, green pepper and stir fry for 4 minutes.
7. Add pesto, basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, mix well to blend.
8. When pasta is cooked, drain well but reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.
9. Add pasta and 1/4 cup of pasta water to the mixture in the frying pan and stir well to coat.
10. Add the cream cheese and stir well to coat the pasta.
11. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup of pasta water to be used later if necessary.
12. Serve pasta immediately.
13. Refrigerate any unused portions. Cover with plastic wrap.
14. To re-warm the next day. Press parchment paper into a frying pan. Using scissors, cut the protruding parchment paper level with the top of the frying pan.
15. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water and the pasta and
16. stir to blend.
17. Cover the frying pan with a lid and heat the pasta on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
18. Serve hot.