Blue Ribbon Kitchen: Baked Sausage and Asparagus Alfredo

This has been a busy few days...

Have you ever been knee-deep in a project...and you cringed at the thought of having to stop...to make dinner...

I think it might be a symptom of a DIYer...on overdrive...

This week I've been painting our entryway (more to come on that tomorrow)

So...as I was busily painting away, sanding and cutting-in... I knew at some point someone was going to be hungry...

The family needs to eat... and this quick meal is always delicious and no one ever complains...

I would call it a one pot dish...but actually it's more like three...

...but its' still quick and easy and super delicious.

This Sausage & Asparagus Pasta Bake is good enough for company... I'm not exaggerating...

Paired with a salad and some crusty bread and you're good to go....

Since it was just us... we skipped the frills...and it was just as good...

Here's how to make it:

Recipe:

Baked Sausage & Asparagus Alfredo

serves 8 generously

1 lb. box of pasta, cooked and drained

(I like to use penne or rigatoni noodles...anything the sauce can cling to)

1 lb. Italian sausage, cooked until well browned - we like Johnsonville or Italian turkey sausage is great for a lighter version.

(if sausage is in links, remove from casings and break it up as you would ground beef.)

1 lb. fresh asparagus cleaned and cut into 1 inch sections.

1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce (for a quick dinner)

or 3 cups of homemade Alfredo sauce.

2 cups shredded cheese: mozzarella, Parmesan or Monterrey-jack cheese work best

...a combination of the three is great..but 2 cups total of cheese is all you will need.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cooke pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the sausage well.

To the browned sausage, add the chopped asparagus, stirring together until the asparagus begins to soften. Lower heat.

Add Alfredo sauce to the still hot skillet, and let the sausage, asparagus and sauce simmer, while the pasta finishes cooking.

Once pasta is cooked and drained...

Add the cooked pasta to skillet of the simmering Alfredo sauce mixture.

Stir, coating the pasta with the sauce, sausage and asparagus.

Transfer the pasta mixture from the skillet into a greased casserole dish.

Top with shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

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