I love meals that are easy to make but taste like a special occasion. My creamy, spicy sausage pasta is just that. The meat sauce has a bit of heat, but the tomatoes and cream make it smooth and delicious, and the pasta soaks up all those tasty flavors. It’s simple to make and can feed a crowd, which is why I often serve this when I have company — simple ingredients in one special dish that everyone will love.

Belle’s Creamy Spicy Sausage Pasta

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 shallots, chopped

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage

• 1 cup half and half cream (not the fat-free kind)

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (with basil and

• 1 tablespoon dried sage

• ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes

• ¾ pound penne pasta

• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

In a large frypan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook about a minute more. Add the sausage and brown until no pink remains. Add the cream and turn heat to simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the undrained tomatoes, sage, and red chili flakes. Cover and let simmer. While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in boiling water for about 8 minutes. Drain well, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Add enough pasta water if the mixture is dry. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Brenda Stanley is the mother of five children, including two sets of twins and a grandmother of eight. She is a cookbook author and novelist. For more recipes and information, visit her website www.talesofthedinnerbelle.com.