Real Food, Day 7: Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

I'm going to need everyone to use their imaginations and pretend this is the 7th day of February rather than the 22nd. I'm a liiiiittle behind on my posts. But this one is a good one, so hopefully that will make up for being so slow.

Last week, Katie at goodLife{eats} posted a great, simple formula for using what you have on hand to make a quick pasta supper. I thought her creation looked delicious, so I added it to our menu for this week, with a few changes to adapt to what we had on hand. Also, it really was quick. I timed it, and this dinner from start to finish took me 26 minutes (and that was while wearing a baby on my back who kept hitting things with a wooden spoon and opening and closing the pantry and freezer as we walked by...).

Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

adapted from goodLife{eats}

Ingredients:

2 links sweet Italian sausage

1 red onion, sliced in thin half moons

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups broccoli florets

1/3 cup white wine

3/4 cup roasted red and yellow peppers, soaked in olive oil and garlic, sliced into strips (note: I found these in the specialty Italian section at the store. You might also find them in the deli section)

handful grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

8 oz. whole wheat penne pasta

sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste

handful shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Remove sausage from casings and slice into coins. In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned on both sides. While sausage is cooking, prepare pasta according to package directions. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add in the broccoli florets to the water to cook.

2. Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook until tender (3-4 minutes).

3. Deglaze the pan using the white wine. Scrape up any browned bits.

4. Stir in the peppers, tomatoes, pasta, and broccoli. Season to taste with sea salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Top with shredded parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!