Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers

Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers has become our family favorite, go-to recipe lately. It's got a little zip since we use our favorite hot sausage. It's creamy thanks to the cream cheese. And best of all, it's quick and easy to make. And since it's something that everyone in the family likes, I always have the ingredients on hand to whip up a satisfying dinner in no time at all!

I did make a few changes to this recipe. I leave out the green peppers because we don't care for them. I use red peppers instead. I also usually don't add any milk because  forgot to the first time I made it and we all liked it that way. As any mom of four will tell you, when you find something that all six people in the family will eat, you don't change a thing!

Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers is my contribution to The Weekend Blog Showcase. The original recipe came from a great blog, The Fairhope Foodie. Unfortunately Alaina is taking a blog hiatus at the moment but all over her amazing recipes are still available. Her recipe for Chicken Tortilla Skillet is definitely on my To Do list. Hopefully she'll be back to blogging soon but meanwhile, stop by and check out her blog.

This week's Weekend Blog Showcase is hosted by Lori at All That Splatters. Stop by and check out everyone's contribution. I've already changed my menu plan to include Cathy's Ribollita with Parmesan Toasts because it just looks too good to wait!

Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers
Recipe from The Fairhope Foodie

1 box Penne Noodles (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
8 oz. cream cheese (I used reduced-fat)
1/4 cup milk (add more as needed for desired consistency)

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up large chunks with a wooden spoon. Drain off excess fat. Return to skillet and add peppers. Cook 5-10 minutes or until softened. Stir in spaghetti sauce and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add cream cheese, cook another 5 minutes or until melted, stirring frequently.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add sausage mixture, mixing thoroughly. Add enough milk to thin out the consistency (I didn't measure, so I'm not sure how much I added. I'm guessing between 1/4 and 1/2 cup. It will resemble an alfredo sauce). Top with Parmesan. Serve with a small salad.