Pasta, Sausage, Cream Sauce Thingie

So my guys were gone this weekend, leaving me with some blessed, much-needed, uninterrupted writing time. It's always different when I'm cooking for one and, rather than running out to pick something up, I tend to work with what I have on hand.

For some reason, I've been craving this pasta, sausage, cream sauce dish. I call it that, because I don't know of any other name for it. I just know that it has pasta, sausage and cream sauce. Kind of an Italian dish. Or at least that's the way I recalled it.

I knew what I wanted to have in the dish, but I wasn't sure about the sauce. So, in my infinite wisdom, I went to the Food Network and did a search for--you guessed it--pasta, sausage, cream sauce. And it worked!

Turned out I wasn't that clueless, because all the sauce consisted of was cream and Parmesan. 

I was ready to roll.

First, I had to cook my pasta.

I used Penne, but you can use whatever type of pasta you prefer. Simply cook according to package directions for al dente.

Did you notice their was something missing from the ingredients? 

Yes, this Texas girl has to have some meat.

In this case, sweet Italian turkey sausage. I cooked up two links, let them cool a bit, then sliced.

And since I was going for an Italian flare, I decided I would add some of my homemade pesto, too. You can find that recipe here. 

Okay, so I melted a couple tablespoons of butter in a skillet, then added some diced onion and bell pepper. Stir that around for a few minutes.

Then throw in some garlic and you've got what's known in Cajun world as the holy trinity of cooking.

You know, even if you're not a cook, you could toss this trio on your stove for a bit and everyone would think you're cooking a feast. It smells that good.

Next, I added some sliced mushrooms and let those cook down a bit. 

Oh, and don't forget to add a sprinkle or two of salt and, maybe, the tiniest shake of crushed red pepper flakes to bring things to life.

Stir in your sausage slices.

Add a nice spoonful of pesto.

Give that a stir before adding about a half a cup of cream.

And approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup of finely grated Parmesan. 

Mix everything together until the sauce begins to thicken, then add your cooked pasta.

Stir again.

And it's time to eat.

This dish may look a little on the bland side, but it is chock full of flavor. (Next time I might add red bell pepper instead of green, just for the color)

Not only did this dish satisfy my craving, I made extra so I'd have enough for lunch the next day.

Good writing time, good food... What more could this mama ask for?

Okay, maybe a longer weekend. :D

If you're used to cooking for others, how do you tend to eat/cook when you're alone?

If cooking for one is your norm, what are some of your favorite dishes?

Mindy Obenhaus lives in Texas with her husband and kids. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com.