Set a large pot over medium heat and once hot and the olive oil, onions, kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.

Add 6 cloves of the minced garlic and the ground Italian sausage. Cook 6 to 7 minutes stirring and breaking apart the sausage as it cooks.

Add the jar of pasta or marinara sauce, water or chicken broth, and more kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes stirring a few times.

Break apart the block of cream cheese and add it to the sauce along with half of the mozzarella cheese. Stir until melted and evenly combined.

Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water. Then drain the pasta and toss it in with the sauce.

Transfer the pasta to a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Unwrap the tube of pizza crust and cut into 16 smaller strips (I cut mine in half horizontally and then into smaller strips, picture example in post above).

Tie each strip in a knot and arrange in the 9 x 13 dish around the edge, pushing the spaghetti down some to make room for each garlic knot.

Combine the melted butter with the remaining two cloves of minced garlic , kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Brush this mixture evenly over the garlic knots.

Sprinkle the remaining one cup of mozzarella cheese over the spaghetti and place in a 375 degree oven for 18 to 24 minutes, depending on how done you want the garlic knots. Just keep checking during the last few minutes and remove when the garlic knots are cooked how you prefer.

Sprinkle with fresh basil or parsley for garnish if desired.