CHEESY BEEFY BOWTIE PASTA

This is a recipe I saw on another site I belong to. It looked so good I had to try it. Yum! To my diabetic readers, do not worry about the pasta as there is so much protein in this recipe. Use a whole grain or no carb pasts, if you need to. I always use whole-grain pastas. You could also use ground chicken or turkey, if you prefer.

1.5 lbs ground beef

12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta

4 tbsp butter, divided

1 small onion, finely diced

7 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup beef broth

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1.5 cups heavy cream

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1.5 cups grated Parmesan

1.5 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

1 cup shredded cheddar

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Cook the bowtie pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender. Reserve a little pasta water, then drain and set aside.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, then stir in the garlic.

3. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Season with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.

4. Pour in the beef broth and let it simmer for a few minutes, stirring to combine all the flavors.

5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining butter. Stir in the heavy cream and cream cheese until the sauce is smooth.

6. Gradually add the Parmesan, cheddar, and 1 cup of the mozzarella, stirring until the cheeses melt into a rich, creamy sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed.

7. Fold the cooked bowtie pasta into the skillet until every piece is coated with the cheese sauce.

8. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top and let it melt before finishing with fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.

photo that was with the recipe