Italian Sausage with Tomatoes and Penne

Italian Sausage with Tomatoes and Penne
source:  unknown

3 C uncooked penne pasta (9oz)
1 lb. uncooked Italian sausage links, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup broth
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise in 1/4-inch slices
2 C grape tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half
1/4 C chopped fresh or 1 T dried basil leaves
6 green onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1/2 cup)
2 TBS olive oil

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

While  pasta is cooking, spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.  Cook sausage in skillet 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown.  Stir in broth; reduce heat to medium.  Cover and cook 5 minutes.

Stir in squash, tomatoes and 2 T of the basil.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in onions.  Simmer uncovered 1 minute.

Toss pasta, oil and remaining 2 T basil.  Divide pasta among individual bowls.  Top with sausage mixture.

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Notes:  I used dried basil.  I did NOT double this recipe, and I should have at least doubled the pasta!  I read the recipe wrong the first time I read it and bought fully-cooked sausage.  So when I went back to buy uncooked sausage links, it was $5 a pound... YIKES!!!  I think it would have been fine to use the fully-cooked sausage... certainly different, but fine.

Verdict:  Phil, Keegan, Paige, Ashton and I LOVED this.  Kaleigh, Sydney and Kendall came close to crying.   I think the only reason that they ate ANY of it was because we had homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

I served this with a foccacia bread that I bought from Costco.  The bread made for a perfect combination with the dinner.

I will make this again on a Thursday night... Sydney has choir rehearsal and Kaleigh has soccer practice on Thursdays.  I'll try to convince Kendall that she likes it.  Or we'll make cookies again for dessert.