~Sausage Pesto Pasta~

My husband goes back for fourths on this dish, need I say more?
Everyone loves a good pasta dish now and then.  While I don't recommend eating pasta all the time... this is a great easy meal that will give leftovers all week if you're just cooking for a couple.   It could definitely be a hit as a dish-to-pass at potlucks or holidays.... and its not terribly unhealthy!  

I adapted this recipe from a friend's blog which you can find here.  Its perfectly yummy as-is, I just tweaked it to our tastes.    I added more sausage, tomatoes and pesto... and also felt mushrooms were a nice addition... and ricotta! I have a small obsession with ricotta, and while I try to eat as close to dairy free as possible, ricotta is a weakness and sometime necessary evil.     Ricotta is also delicious on pizza...but now I am getting off track.  

So here you go:

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 # italian sausage (mild, gluten free in my opinion)
• 1/2 cup of chopped onion
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 24 oz & 14 oz can diced tomatoes 
• Pesto - around 2/3 cup to 1 cup...depending on taste
• Salt & Pepper
• 10oz (or so) of cooked pasta (I think any type will do, I use GF)
• 4 c fresh spinach (or 4 handfuls)
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup grated parm
• 1-2 cups mushrooms of your choice, roughly chopped (optional)
• 15 oz fat free ricotta (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook sausage, onion, and garlic until the sausage is cooked thoroughly.    Add the mushrooms as the meat starts to brown.         

Next, add tomatoes  and simmer for about 10 minutes or so.   Then add pesto, and salt & pepper to taste.  Cook your pasta while you're waiting on the above....

In a large bowl add the spinach, pasta, mozzarella and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.  Add in your meat/tomato mixture and carefully mix until combined. 

Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and top with the remaining parmesan.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or you see bubbling.

Enjoy!