Skillet Sausage & Pasta

Have I told you how much I love kielbasa? I thought that I may have mentioned it in the past. I always keep a few in the freezer. And, most of the time, I've purchased them on buy-one-get-one free sales. They are perfect for a quick dinner when your plans have changed and you need to get food on the table quickly. I think this is a perfect meal for the mid-week slump.

Skillet Sausage & Pasta

1 onion, choppped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
1-16 oz. kielbasa sausage, sliced
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. dried parsley
2 c. chicken broth
16-oz. dried short pasta, prepared

Perfect Additions:
bell pepper
mushrooms
green onions
fresh herbs

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic in one tsp. of olive oil on medium heat for three minutes. Add sliced kielbasa and saute until heated through and the edges are caramelized, about 10-12 minutes. Add the seasonings and chicken broth. Cook until the broth reduces down a little. Stir in the prepared pasta and stir until well coated. Serve immediately.

Start with one chopped onion.

My garlic was starting to feel sad and neglected. I had to use it up this week before it bit the dust. I just trimmed off the brown spots.

This sausage was frozen when I got started with the meal. It only took two minutes in the defrost mode of the microwave to thaw. Perfect!

Softening the onions and garlic.

I added the sausage and kicked up the heat a little. I love my sausage to get brown edges - yummy!

Time for the seasonings and chicken broth.

I used a whole box of pasta but you could definitely make do with about 12 oz., especially if you like your dish saucy. I like to use short pasta for this dish so the pasta and sausage are the same size. Makes it easier to eat. This is rigatoni, I think, but penee, shells, bowties, or twists would be great, too.

This recipe is really just a basic recipe. You could add any number of ingredients to suit your tastes. I used what I had in the refrigerator. Even with these basic ingredients, it's delicious. Just use your imagination...

Enjoy!!

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