I've made this so many times since my original review I decided to up date. I have been making it a bit differently now too. I usually use bow tie or whole wheat penne pasta. I boil it, and when it's about half/1/4 done I add the broccoli. In a seperate sauce pan (while the water and pasta boil) I sautee about 1-2 tsp jarred garlic in butter until it starts to smell sweet. I then add mushrooms(about 8 oz)and sautee them with a about 1 TBS of white wine. I then add the cream (lately though I've been using fat free half and half and if needed thicken it with a bit of corn starch) and some basil. I then add the tomato sauce (one small can) and freshly ground pepper and salt. I let the sauce simmer covered until the pasta and broccoli are done, then add the sauce to the drained pasta and broccoli. It is a bit more work, but I like having the sautee'd mushrooms and letting the flavors meld together in the sauce. I serve it topped with parm cheese.

I just attended a cooking class taught by the owner of a local Italian restaurant who made this exact same dish - excellent! I used more tomato sauce and more parmesan to thicken the sauce like the chef did. (Add parmesan gradually to prevent clumping). He also used tubular pasta. I would like to find a way to make this lower in fat. Update: After making this several times, here are the changes I recommend: 1) double the recipe 2) add an entire small can of tomato sauce 3) add sliced red peppers - gives it a "restaurant style" appearance. 4) use penne pasta (tubes) 5) to make lower in fat, use half-and-half w/ a little cornstarch.

i made this recipe to the TEE, and it came out just fine, i didnt add or exclude anything. people, stop adding or taking things out then giving it a bad rating thats your own fault for trying to make it your own, dont diss the recipe, you should second quess your cooking skills, real talk!!

I have to agree with the other readers and sauteed up some mushroom, garlic, and onion. This really did help aid in the flavor process of the dish. I boiled brocolli and green Italian squash. I didn't have any heavy cream so I used sour cream. Followed the instructions and used what was called for. Because of all the veggies, no side dish was needed. This was easy and yummy. An excellent and instant supper that I will make again!

I made a few changes to this recipe to make it a 5 in my book. I didn't add the mushrooms (personal preference), used fat-free half and half instead of cream, used more tomato sauce (i usually do this by taste), doubled the broccoli and added some red pepper because my husband and I like spicy. SO GOOD and REALLY easy to make!

This recipe was good and easy to prepare -It was pretty rich- I used regular half and half and some whipped cream - I would try some fat free half and half next time.

Excellent recipe. I made a couple minor changes. I used penne instead of fettucine noodles. Before adding the garlic and mushrooms to the sauce, I sauteed them in butter. I know this adds calories, but it also adds flavor. Don't forget to add the salt, pepper, and parmesian. It makes a BIG difference in the flavor. My only complaint is that the sauce was too thin. I mixed 1 TBSP. water, 1 TBSP cornstarch and added it to the sauce. This made a good consistency.

Quick & good. More veggies should be added, some peppers, and/or asparagus, for instance. I make this now and then because it's so easy and for the work it takes, very good. On other recommendations, I increase tomato sauce & broccoli, which was a very good idea. I have also used half & half rather than whipping cream, and it works just fine.

Great starting point. Here's how I personalized it. Steam one peeled and sliced carrot and one head of brocolli florets for about 3 - 4 minutes in the microwave. Saute garlic and a pound of sliced baby bellas in the butter and add to steamed veggies. Mix in 17 ounces italian sauce (I use Trader Joes Italian Starter and it is awesome!), 1 cup heavy cream and 3-6 ounces of tomato paste with the veggies. Dice and brown 3 -4 pieces of bacon, set aside. Once the pasta is done (always reserve a teaspoon or so of the water and add to your sauces as a thickener)put it back into the pot that you cooked it in and add the veggies/tomato sauce mixture. Cover and allow to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until the veggies are soft (not mushy) and the pasta is done. Top with shredded mozzarella (a cup or so) and bacon. Cover and remove from heat just so cheese melts. Serve immediately. You can add shrimp, diced chicken, turkey, sausage, spinach, whatever to this and it is very good. Sausage and peas would be a really good substitute for the broccoli and mushrooms!

I added green onions to the mix and I added more garlic, mushrooms, and broccoli. I found it was a little bland as well but once I added more of these items plus salt and pepper and topped it with fresh parmesan cheese it came out excellent! I did use a little corn starch to help thicken it up. And I prepared my sauce seperately while the noodles cooked. This seems to be an easier way than preparing it all together. Overall, I liked it. It just needed a little tweaking.