My cousin Dana and her husband Jeff recently had a baby, Elly, and so I brought this to her a week or so ago! :)
New Mama Pasta Bake
1 lb. hot Italian sausage (I use mild for breastfeeding moms)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped (or less depending on your taste)
2/3 of a 10 oz bag of spinach (I just throw in the whole bag so it's extra healthy)
1/4 c. pesto
1 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided
28 oz can diced tomatoes
10 oz. penne or pasta, cooked
6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (only if you plan to eat this right away).
- In a large pan, brown sausage and onion. Then, add garlic and tomatoes. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly.
- Meanwhile, get your water boiling and cook the pasta.
- Once the sauce has thickened a bit, add in pesto and season with salt and pepper (to taste).
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, spinach and 1/3 c parm cheese. Then, stir in hot tomato/sausage mixture and mix until the spinach has wilted and it's combined.
- Transfer to a 13x9 greased pan. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Bake for 30 mins (only if eating this right away). Otherwise, cover and freeze or bring to your new mama (they can decide if they want to bake it right away or freeze for a later use).
- I always bring the meal to new mama's in a disposable tin pan - makes for easy clean up which everyone appreciates! :) I also tape on a little instructions sheet so the new mama doesn't have to think about temperature, time, what is in the pan... along with everything else their trying to figure out.
