Spicy Pasta

1 bulb garlic (I had it crushed & minced)
1 cup Olive oil
1 TBSP Kosher salt
1 TBSP (or more) ground black pepper
Red Pepper flakes (to your heart’s desire)

With olive oil, sauté garlic. Add salt, ground black pepper & red pepper flakes. Simmer on low/medium heat until garlic starts to cook – don’t let it get brown. You want to remove it early from the heat (avoid a bitter taste). You will use this to cook the (1) sausage and (2) mushrooms.

2 lbs spicy Italian sausage (I used Johnsonville)
Sun dried tomatoes (in oil) – I used the entire can. I love sun dried tomatoes.
Portabella mushrooms – I used 2 packs
1 can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
Shredded mozzarella cheese – UNLIMITED. Hehehe!
1 lb Barilla Penne pasta

Using a little bit of the garlic & oil (from above), brown the sausage. Chop well. Or if you want it chunky, you can. Depends on your preference. Tim likes it a bit chunky. Drain the fats. Add diced tomatoes & continue to cook over medium heat.
Cook the pasta.
On a separate pan, cook the mushrooms & sundried tomatoes using some of the garlic & oil mix.
(Optional) When almost done, add ½ cup dry red wine and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the mushroom mix to the sausage & tomato mix. Continue to simmer on low heat for a few minutes.
Add the pasta, sausage mix and shredded mozzarella cheese and mix well. Top with more pepper flakes. Enjoy!