That's a Mouthful!!

This is a "Rachel Ray" recipe. . .& honestly, I'm not a big fan. I usually feel disappointed after most of the stuff I've made of hers, but THIS ONE IS A KEEPER!! No raw chicken to mess with, very few ingredients and it truly is ready in under 30 minutes. I used Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne. . .with the added bonus of 6g of protein AND 6g of fiber!! The sauce is strong enough that you won't notice it's healthy!

. . .and it's called. . .get ready. . .

American-Italian all'Amatriciana!

Ingredients
Salt
1 pound whole-wheat cassarecci, rigatoni or penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 slices lean peppered bacon, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 cup chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
Black pepper & salt to taste
A handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Shredded sharp white Cheddar, to pass at table (I used Parmesan ~ Cheddar seemed weird to me!)

Directions
Heat water to boil for pasta, season with salt and cook pasta to al dente.
Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add bacon and crisp 4 to 5 minutes then add onions and garlic cook to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in stock then tomatoes and season with salt & pepper to taste. Simmer sauce 15 minutes. Toss pasta with sauce and parsley. Serve with grated sharp white Cheddar.

NOTES: I would forgo the cheddar for a Parmesan or other more "Italian" cheese. . .I also added sliced black olives and some red pepper flakes for an added kick. . .both of which my husband loves! He was working late the night I made this and I took his dinner up to him. He actually called me from upstairs to tell me how good his dinner was!! Unfortunately, he has become somewhat of a food snob due to all the cooking I always do, so to get kudos from him means something to me! I served this with a Greek salad. Enjoy!