Baked Penne (or Ziti) for Two

 1 tsp. olive oil

1 1/3 cup dry penne or ziti

2 links Italian hot sausage (if you don't like hot sausage you can use 1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 tsp garlic powder

pinch of cayenne (optional)

14 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. heavy cream

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

1/2 tsp basil

3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella

1. Boil penne in salted water to al dente, drain and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

3. Heat oil over medium heat and brown sausage. (if a lot of grease, drain)

4. Add garlic and cayenne and cook for one minute.

5. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Over medium high heat, bring to a simmer.

6. Reduce heat to low cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Stir in pasta, cream, Parmesan, and basil..

8. Pour into a 7"X7" baking dish

9. Sprinkle with Mozzarella over the top and bake 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

***I eat 1/6th of the recipe, which makes a nice 270 calorie portion. Duke eats 1/3 of the recipe for dinner...540 calories. The other 1/3rd, we can fight over for lunch tomorrow. lol

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Penne Sausage Alfredo

Ingredients:
1 roll (16 oz) of Jimmy Dean's Regular Sausage
8 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground pepper
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
dash ground thyme
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare penne according to directions on box. Drain and set aside.
Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking sausage up into small pieces until thoroughly cooked through. (approximately 10 minutes)
After sausage is no longer pink and has browned, reduce heat to medium and slowly add the cream and the 8 spices.Bring to an easy boil then reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese. After incorporated, toss in the penne and mix well.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Beve's Penne Alla Vodka

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped finely
6 slices prosciutto or pancetta, thinly sliced and cubed
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sugar
12 oz. penne pasta
1 cup heavy cream
2 shots of vodka
1/2 tsp. crushed dried basil

Preparation:

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the prosciutto, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for a minute.
Add the tomatoes and sugar and cook for about 15 minutes.
To the boiling water, add a tablespoon of salt and the penne. Cook until al dente.
Slowly and gently add the heavy cream to the sauce and fold in.

Stir vodka into the sauce.
Drain the penne and add to the sauce.
Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

This is a great alternative to my standard spaghetti sauce recipe that cooks slowly for 3 hours. The combination of crushed tomatoes and cream give the dish a savory blush sauce that never fails to delight even the most scrutinizing palate. Penne is also one of my favorite pastas because it absorbs the sauce inside and out. Serve this dish often, it will surely please the crowd. Great with homemade bread.

Enjoy! Elvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radost'!