Sausage and Broccoli Penne

Happy Earth Day!  This post has nothing to do with the environment... but since I'm on Earth while writing this I think that's a good enough reason to celebrate. :)

This dish is more or less the same thing as last night... with different ingredients.  Jeremy didn't complain though since both were tasty and different enough to not feel like we were just having leftovers.  I don't know why I felt like pasta two nights in a row but I wasn't going to question it.  So I had Jeremy take some sausage out of the freezer this morning so that I could make this tonight.

This is another quick recipe that was more or less ready in just the time it takes to make pasta (with the few minutes needed to completely toss the sauce on the pasta and let the pasta soak up the rest of the liquid).  

I used hot Italian turkey sausage and whole wheat pasta.  It's full of flavor and incredibly easy to make.  You can certainly swap out any type of sausage or veggies you like and make it the same way.  I happen to be very partial to broccoli.

And now I should stop playing with this blog and get back to work.  :)

Recipe:

1 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage (bulk or removed from casings)

1 lb. frozen broccoli florets

1 13.25 oz. box penne

1 pinch crushed red pepper flake

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs. dried parsley flake

1 c. chicken stock

parmesan cheese to taste

1. Boil water. Add penne. Cook until just shy of al dente.

2. At the same time you turn on the water, heat a large skillet with a lid over medium heat.  Add sausage and break up with a spatula.  Brown (drain if necessary... my sausage was lean enough that I didn't need to).

3. Add broccoli, crushed red pepper flake, parsley, and garlic. Mix to distribute flavors.

4. Add chicken stock and cover with lid.  Cook until the broccoli is tender.

5. Add pasta to the sausage and broccoli and mix well.  Cook until most of the chicken stock is absorbed.

6. Add parmesan to taste (I added about 2-3 tbs.)