creamy sausage tomato rotini

I made this dish last week and it was great and made perfect leftovers for lunch. This recipe via Rachael's Recipes. 

Creamy Sausage-Tomato Rotini

1 lb. mild italian sausage

1/2C. finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

28 oz. italian-style stewed tomatoes

1 1/2 C. half and half or light cream

12 oz. rotini pasta

fresh chopped basil and grated romano cheese for garnish

Crumble and cook sausage with onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes over med. heat until sausage is done. Drain.

Stir in undrained tomatoes. Boil gently uncovered 5-7 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Add half and half. Simmer 4 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to saucepan.

Pour sauce over pasta. Stir to combine. Serve immediately with grated cheese and basil.

Variation: This can also be made with chicken for a milder taste. Pan fry bite-size pieces of chicken in the skillet. Use penne pasta instead of rotini.