Pasta Con Broccoli

….its from my favorite restaurant in St.Louis…The Pasta House Co. Every pilgrimage I make to St. Louis I go there (remember last year when I went, I took my bestie there for her birthday) at least twice. Back when I was in high school the recipe for this favorite dish of mine was published in the newspaper....except we think there was a typo....It called for 4 sticks of butter....it was way too much....as in a pond of butter was floating on top.....so here's the tweaked version!

Pasta Con Broccoli

1 pkg (16 oz ) medium pasta shells

1 1/2 sticks butter (which converted to 170 grams….which I think was a little too much…I might tweak next time I make it)

1 quart half and half

3 cups of chopped broccoli (I go with the florets…when I can find them)

1 tbsp garlic salt

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup spaghetti sauce

Cook Pasta (I do if for a minute or two less than al dente recommendations since it cooks more as the sauce thickens). Drain and set aside. Melt margarine. Add garlic. Simmer a few minutes. Add broccoli, parmesan cheese and spaghetti sauce. Mix. Add half and half. Mix. Add cooked noodles. Cook uncovered, over medium heat until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

Almost ready, needs to thicken just a bit more!

You can also make it in the crockpot (at the school I used to worked at, we did a luncheon for students….I’d mix it in the morning and it’d be ready for lunch).

Cook noodles, throw everything into crockpot. Mix. Cook at least 3 hours, start low 1 hr, high 1 hr, low 1 hr.

You can also cut everything in 1/2 and it makes about 4 servings....

It will be so good that your father-in-law who wasn't very hungry after a large lunch will not only have a bowl-full but also finish off what's left in the pot.....