Recipe: Pasta Twists with Beer-Cheese Sauce for John, Omaha, Neb.

Hi John :-) This recipe does not call for Cheez Whiz but I'm sure you could use it instead of the flour and cheese. I think I would also reduce the amount of milk but still use a bit to thin the Cheez Whiz to sauce consistency that will coat the pasta nicely. If you don't have rotini, you could use any pasta you have.

Pasta Twists with Beer-Cheese Sauce

8 ounces dry tri-colored rotini (corkscrew) or gemelli pasta
2 medium carrots, bias-sliced
1 small zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh whole mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup beer
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.

Meanwhile, for sauce, in a medium saucepan cook carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in flour. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Add beer and heat through. Remove from heat.
Gradually add cheddar cheese, stirring until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange pasta on individual plates or a large serving platter. Spoon the sauce over pasta.

Makes 4 servings.