Sausage & Pepper Penne

                 When the darling husband and & I were students, we would often go on dates at East Side Mario's. We loved the unlimited salad & bread and the husband loved the sausage and pepper penne. One of the best things about me finally learning how to cook? I can make the same meal at home without having to spend $40 for the two of us.
               This sausage & pepper penne recipe is easy, fast, & very satisfying. It can be on the table in under 30 minutes yet it doesn't feel like you scrimped on dinner! You can easily add different summer vegetables to change things up if you'd like. Cook the sausage while you bring the water to a boil, then cook the vegetables/sauce while the penne cooks. If you time it properly, it should take about 25 minutes total.

Ingredients:
4 cups penne pasta, uncooked
4 italian sausages, uncooked
cooking spray
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1" pieces
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1" pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup frozen, drained)
1 clove garlic. minced
1 can (700ml) of tomato sauce (I used Classico)
parmesan cheese & oregano for garnish


Directions:
1. Slice sausage into 1" pieces. Spray a non-stick skillet and cook sausage over medium-high heat, about 7 -10minutes. 
2. Once you start the sausage, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions. (usually 8-10 minutes).
3. Once the sausage is cooked in skillet, add onion, garlic, peppers & spinach about 5 minutes, until spinach is wilted and onion is translucent. Add pasta sauce and cook until warm, an additional 5 minutes (about 10 minutes total - the time it takes to cook the penne)
4. Drain penne & add to skillet with sauce. Stir well & serve immediately. Garnish with parmesan cheese & oregano.