Yummy Food

I try to make something for dinner every night. It is not always easy, but I love to make new recipes that are quick, easy, inexpensive and provide left overs.

I have been wanting to make something with penne pasta lately. I had tons of broccoli and our favorite chicken sausage (from sunflower market) in the fridge so I started googleing and found a few recipes that I used to make my own recipe.

{this happens a lot because I never have all the ingredients for just one recipe}

The dinner turned out so well and was so flavorful, cheap, and easy I wanted to share with you all!

Chicken Sausage, Broccoli, Penne Pasta

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 large bundle of broccoli, trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces
• 1 pound penne or whole wheat penne
• 2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pound bulk Italian hot sausage, squeezed from casing
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to pass at table

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt then the broccoli. Cook 3 minutes. Remove to an ice water bath with slotted spoon or spider and reserve. Bring water back to a boil. Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of starchy cooking liquid just before draining.

Meanwhile, heat EVOO in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown, about 5-6 minutes.

Add garlic to sausage and cook 1 minute. Add broccoli. Season with salt, pepper and thyme, and heat through. When pasta is done, add reserved cooking liquid to the sauce before draining. Add tomato sauce.

Add drained pasta back to the pot along with the butter and cheese. Toss to coat then add to the rest of the stuff and stir to combine. Serve immediately.