Zesty Sausage and Pasta

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, or sweet Italian chicken sausage

1 cup onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 –14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

½ – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 – 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. Penne pasta or spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic and onion until soft. Remove and set aside.

Sauté sausage until well browned.

Remove sausage to paper towel to remove any grease. Cut into ½ inch slices.

Return sausage to pan.

Heat water for pasta.

To the sausage – stir in garlic, onion, tomatoes, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

You can also add sliced zucchini, mushrooms, and/or red pepper to the above. You can add spinach the last 2 minutes.

Cook pasta.

Serve sausage mixture over hot pasta.

Optional – sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Serves 4