Pasta Tossed with Blue Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter 
• 0.5 cup athenos cheese blue crumbled
• 8 oz philadelphia cream cheese spread 
• 0.5 lb fettuccine barilla uncooked
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1.5 cups oscar mayer ham strips smoked
• 1 cup leeks coarsely chopped
• 0.3 cup madeira wine 
• 2 Tbsp milk 
• 0.3 cup planters pecans coarsely chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan

Directions

1. Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet on medium heat.
2. Add leeks and nuts; cook and stir 5 min. or until leeks are tender.
3. Add ham; cook 3 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
4. Cook wine and garlic in medium saucepan on low heat 1 min.
5. Add cream cheese spread and milk; cook until cream cheese spread is melted and mixture is blended, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove from heat; stir in blue cheese.
7. Drain pasta; place in large serving bowl.
8. Add ham mixture and cheese sauce; mix lightly.