Italian Sausage Rigatoni Recipe (...well sort of)

Hey guys!  So, after a long break from cooking (some might call it laziness), I finally got back in my kitchen this past weekend to whip up something warm and cozy for dinner.  I found my recipe online, printed it out and armed with all of the ingredients on a handy dandy list, off I went to the grocery store.  Seems simple enough, right?!?  But, let me just say this...I get easily distracted.  Most of the time it's by shiny things, but apparently I also get glamoured by fresh breads, hot soups and warm cookies.  After spending about half of the afternoon in the fancy prepared foods and bakery section of my grocery store, I realized that I still had a grocery list in my hands that I was "supposed" to stick to (please tell me that I'm not alone in this). Getting back on track, I cruised through the remainder of the grocery store & set off for home.

Later that evening, when the hubz hollered that he was getting hungry, I started gathering all of my ingredients for the recipe, when IT happened...

How do you go to the grocery store with an ingredient list for an Italian Sausage Rigatoni recipe and leave without picking up a box of rigatoni noodles????  I don't know.  I blame the cookies.

Thank goodness that "Improvise" is my middle name...and that I had some elbow macaroni noodles in the pantry.  So here I bring to you:  Italian Sausage Elbow Macaroni (actually, I think that has a nice ring to it!)

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 pkg (19 oz) Italian Mild Sausage Links, grilled and coin-sliced
1 pkg (1 lb) elbow macaroni (or rigatoni pasta if you'd like)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1 jar (26 oz) of your favorite pasta sauce

Cook your sausage links according to the package directions.  While that's going, cook your pasta noodles also according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.

(the result of having to use two different boxes of elbow macaroni)

In a large skillet, heat your olive oil until hot, then add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds or until golden.  Toss in your chopped red peppers and saute those for approximately 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Quickly coin slice your cooked Italian sausage into 1/4" slices and add them to the skillet.

Grab your favorite pasta sauce and stir it into the skillet.  Here was my pick:

Heat through, then add the pasta noodles.  Toss to combine and sprinkle with fresh parsley.  

Now serve it up to your hungry fam.  And if they're a good fam, then they won't even notice that they're eating elbow macaroni noodles in an Italian Sausage Rigatoni pasta dish.  My hubz passed the test.  :)

Original recipe attained here, but tweaked by yours truly.

Hope you guys enjoy!  Let me know if you decide to whip this up yourself.  If you're hungry right now, then I guess I successfully accomplished what I set out to do (regardless of the sneaky yummy cookies in the bakery).

Mendi