Recipe Sharing: Italian Mac-n-Cheese

I'm not sure where this recipe came from (maybe Rachel Ray?), but it's delicious. Enjoy!

Italian Mac-n-Cheese
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi
1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 crimini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 (10-ounce) sack (2 1/2 cups) shredded Italian 4 cheese blend
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
1/2 cup Parmesan

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente, about 8 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.

Preheat broiler to high.

To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.

Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or oven safe serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.