Penne With Chicken Mango Sausage And Spinach Food

BAKED PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH (OVEN OR CROCK-POT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Grease a deep lasagna pan (or two 9x9 pans). Crockpot instructions are at the bottom.
• SAUCE: In a large deep saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and saute slowly until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add sausage to pan; continue to saute and break up sausage into bite size pieces. When sausage is just about done, add garlic for a minute or two. Finally, pour red wine into pan and bring wine to a boil to evaporate alcohol and eliminate most of the liquid.
• Add tomatoes to other ingredients. Pour about 1/2 cup water into the tomato can to clean out the can - add this water to the pot. Add pesto. While this simmers about 10 minutes, cook the pasta.
• PASTA: Bring plenty of salted water to boil for pasta (lots of water will prevent sticky pasta). Cook according to package directions; drain.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss hot cooked pasta, chopped fresh spinach and tomato/sausage sauce. DO NOT ADD CHEESE YET. Continue combining hot ingredients until spinach wilts slightly, THEN add cubed mozzarella and 1/2 CUP of the Parmesan cheese. Toss quickly and pour into your prepared baking dish (if you work with the cheese too long, it will become a stringy mess!).
• Sprinkle final 1/2 CUP Parmesan on top.
• Bake 375 for 30 minutes, uncovered, until hot and bubbly.
• CROCKPOT VERSION FOR A CROWD: Double recipe. Make sure pasta is a bit undercooked (slightly firm). Pour into crockpot; add 1 cup hot water around the edges. Cook on HIGH 3 hours.

PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat until just smoking.
• Add in sausage and cook, breaking apart the meat, until lightly browned and no longer pink, 3-5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in the water, broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then add in the pasta.
• Increase heat to high and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened, about 15-18 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, and cook until wilted.
• Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve.

PENNE WITH CHICKEN MANGO SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Boil pasta per package directions.
• While pasta is boiling, heat oil in very large skillet over medium heat.
• Chop sausage into bite-size pieces. Add to skillet. Stir.
• Add onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, salt and pepper. (ALL AMOUNTS FOR SPICES ARE APPROXIMATE -- I just gave a few shakes of each until it smelled good. For the record, I would have used fresh onion, garlic, and ginger if I'd had any!).
• Cook until sausage is heated through.
• Add bag of spinach. (Next time, I may use 2 bags, but this is what I had in the fridge.).
• Stir to combine flavors well. Put lid on pan if desired to speed up cooking time. Cook until spinach is wilted.
• Drain pasta when ready and add to skillet. Stir to combine flavors.
• Serve and enjoy!