Alfredo Sauce.
That's it. That's the sentence.
Wait.
I take that back.
Gouda Cheese Sauce. Now THAT is the sentence.
It's even more of a complete sentence when gouda is covering pasta, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and chicken. Well, in this case it's fake chicken, but you do with that what you will.
Penne Pasta with Gouda Cheese Sauce
1 box penne pasta, cooked according to box instructions
1 1/2 cups grilled chicken strips (I use Beyond brand)
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers, drained
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups shredded Gouda cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Prepare the pasta however the box tells you to prepare the pasta.
2. In a large skillet, prepare the chicken. Meat eaters do your thing however you like. Non-meat eaters, I suggest a few tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, the fake chicken, medium heat, and flipping occasionally until your fake chicken starts to brown.
3. Once the chicken is cooked, add in the roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts. Reduce the heat to low and get started on your gouda sauce while that stays warm.
4. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the corn starch. For the record, you can use flour instead. I prefer corn starch because I prefer a thicker sauce.
5. Whisk in the heavy cream. Again, you can substitute here and use milk instead. I prefer the thicker sauce, which cream delivers really well.
6. Once in the cream is heated to a slow boil, whisk in the cheese. Once the cheese melts, you should have a nice thick sauce.
7. Pour the sauce and pasta into the large skillet that's been holding your chicken.
8. You're done! This looks harder than it is, so feel free to accept everyone's compliments when they think you worked a ton to make this meal happen.