Totally NOT Vodka Sauce

Now this is the only think I've cooked this month. It fills the need, but PB&J does not count as cooking.

I've just been too tired to cook. Sleepy cooks burn things. And forget to buy ingredients. Which is great for this recipe, because I had everything I needed somewhere in my cabinet. (or the store here...)

So I needed something that would be fast, tasty, and above all, something that would produce enough leftovers that I wouldn't go hungry at work again today.

This pasta came together so fast. And it ended up looking like vodka sauce. But vodka sauce only wishes it is this good!

Totally NOT Vodka Sauce (even if it's pink)

8oz fettuccine
1 can peas
1 cup milk
3/4 cup jalapeno cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Piquillo Pepper Tapenade*
4 tbsp Spanish Olive Oil
Black Pepper
1 tbsp crushed garlic
pinch of powdered ginger

Cook the pasta. Drain and put back in the pan.

Heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan and add the garlic and the ginger. Stir around, about a minute. Add the cheese shreds. If you can't find Jalapeno Cheddar, feel free to use regular. But then sub in the Jalapeno Olive Oil for the Padilla.

Stir the cheese around until it starts to melt. Add the milk to keep it from burning and increase the heat to medium high. Stir it occasionally, scraping the sides. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in the Piquillo Pepper Tapenade (* available in our store) and the black pepper.

Stir into the noodles.

This sauce really ends up pink. Really. Egg noodles suck sauce right in, those pale bits are where the sauce didn't stick!