Spicy Sausage Pasta

Original link

Like the original cook, I loved adding sausage into my mac and cheese, but due to my love of spicy food, I always added Tobasco to my mac and cheese. When I saw this recipe, I wanted to try this, because I never thought to make mac and cheese with spicy cheese before. It’s such a great idea!! But the original cook used Monterey Jack cheese. I chose to use Pepper Jack cheese. I also didn’t use Turkey sausage like she did. I added Portuguese sausage. That’s double spicy!! If you don’t like too spicy, then you don’t have to use this same cheese and sausage. 

I enjoyed how it turned out!! I didn't have to add tobasco sauce to it. It was perfect the way I made it!!

The original recipe says to use the broiler, I have no idea how to use our broiler!! I’m used to electrical stoves and I now have a gas stove. It’s kind of different and the broiler is this tiny little thing on the bottom haha. Another thing the original recipe asks for a cast iron skillet but I don’t have one!! Kind of sad. 

Here’s what I had in it:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 12-ounce package Portuguese Sausage
1 1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth (low sodium is healthier, but I used boullion)
1 10-ounce can diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, Original Style (I used a 14 oz. can)
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Thinly sliced scallions
Salt, to taste
Directions:

Heat a pan to cook the Portuguese sausage. When that is done, soak it on a paper towel.

You can choose to clean the pan of the oil but I left a little of the oil from the sausage on the pan instead of using the olive oil. Heat oil in the pan and add the onion for about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer into a medium pot.

Add the broth, can tomatoes, heavy cream, uncooked pasta, and pepper, and give the mixture a good stir. Bring to a boil, cover the pan, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while the pasta is cooking.
Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Taste, and add salt as needed. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish or a 9”x13” baking dish. Top with the scallions and remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned - about 5 minutes.