Cheesy Sausage and Tomato Shells

by Jamie on April 16, 2012

I have a simple dinner recipe for you today, ladies and gentlemen.
Because dinner time sure does come around a lot, don’t you think?

Like, daily even.

And I happen to have it on good authority that making a fabulous tasting meal for your family in a short amount of time, puts a Big Shiny Grin on your face.

And why shouldn’t it! Tasty food on the table….AND time left over to help with homework, run kids to soccer practice, band-aid a skinned knee or two, fold the laundry, kiss your sweetheart, save the world and paint your toenails.

Big Shiny Grin, here we come.

Cheesy Sausage and Tomato Shells

Time: 15 min. prep + 25 min. baking

Yield: 12 servings

Recipe adapted from Miss Paula Dean

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***NOTE: This recipe makes a lot. It will feed my family of seven, twice. You could easily pour it into two 9×13 pans, cover one with aluminum foil and pop it into the freezer for another meal.***

1 (16 ounce) box elbow macaroni or medium shell pasta

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 T olive oil

1 pound sausage

2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian Stewed Tomatoes

1 t cumin

1 t basil, dried

1 t oregano, dried

salt and pepper

2-3 C cheddar cheese, grated

1. Get yourself a nice box of pasta. Elbow macaroni or medium shells work well.

2. Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Salt it well, and pour in your dried pasta. Cook it according to package directions. Don’t let it get over cooked. Al Dente is the texture you are looking for. Which has nothing to do with Al your Dentist and everything to do with cooking pasta that still has a nice firmness to it, without being mushy and soggy.

Once the pasta is cooked pour the contents of the pot into a strainer resting nicely in your sink. Pour warm water over the top of the pasta and let it hang out there for a bit.

3. While you pasta cooks, chop up one green pepper, one onion and 4 cloves of garlic.

4. Heat up a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T of olive oil to the pan. Add the chopped veggies and cook them until the onions are translucent.

Add the sausage and cook until browned.

5. Open up 2 cans of Italian Stewed Tomatoes and pour the contents into a medium sized bowl.

Stick some kitchen scissors into the bowl and cut the tomatoes up into large chunks.

6. Pour the chopped up tomatoes into the skillet with the sausage and veggies.

7. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, dried basil and dried oregano.

Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over the top and give it all a nice stir to combine.

8. Pour the cooked pasta into the skillet

and stir it into the tomato mixture.

9. Spray a 9×13 with cooking spray and pour the pasta/tomato mixture of bliss into it. Sprinkle it with grated cheddar cheese.

10. Bake the yummy casserole at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

Enjoy!

{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Janae April 16, 2012 at 1:48 pm: Thanks for a dinner idea for tonight!
2 Heidi Bundles Of Hugs April 16, 2012 at 2:49 pm: Ohh yum, this looks simple and delicious. Gotta try this one!
3 Tiffany Daumueller April 16, 2012 at 4:36 pm: Awesome idea Jamie! Thank you for the nice dinner plan!
4 Tiffany Daumueller April 16, 2012 at 4:39 pm: I just looked over the ingredients again and I think this would make an awesome Meal in a Jar recipe. I'm going to have to give it a try using freeze dried stuff and let you know my results. Wouldn't that be fun?
5 Elizabeth Squirrell April 16, 2012 at 4:40 pm: I cant wait to cook dinner tonight
6 Laura April 16, 2012 at 5:34 pm: This looks so good! As far as I'm concerned, anything with sausage is a winner!
7 Melissa Bo April 16, 2012 at 5:51 pm: oh my goodness, this looks so good! =)
8 Kim B. April 16, 2012 at 6:27 pm: Looks DELICIOUS!!! Can't wait to make it Thanks sooo much for sharing. LOVE LOVE LOVE simple recipes that I know my whole family will enjoy!
9 Steph April 16, 2012 at 7:22 pm: Looks amazing! I know my family would love this, thanks for sharing.
10 Anonymous April 17, 2012 at 3:11 pm: you have such wonderful family recipes. keep up the great work, your blog is super beautiful and inspiring
11 Crystal April 17, 2012 at 4:01 pm: Made this for Dinner last night.. My husband LOVED it! He took some to work for lunch today and a bunch of his coworkers asked for the recipe! You were right tho.. it makes a TON! I ended up freezing a 13×9 of it for later. Thanks for all your awesome recipes! I LOVE your blog!
12 Anonymous April 18, 2012 at 1:20 am: Made this for dinner tonight. It was awesome. My 7 year daughter even loved it. Thanks for the great recipe!

Jamie
13 Karen April 18, 2012 at 10:28 pm: My husband will love this one. I don't know how you find the time to come up with these great recipes, but I sure am glad you do!
14 Anonymous April 19, 2012 at 3:15 pm: I have a quick question…are you using breakfast sausage..like Jimmy Dean? Thanks
15 Colette April 19, 2012 at 11:14 pm: yes I have a question about the sausage too. i don't use it often and all I know is breakfast sausage.
16 Gotyourholidayon April 23, 2012 at 6:04 am: I have to make this. Looks like a perfect rainy day meal.
17 Emily April 24, 2012 at 11:58 pm: We had this for dinner tonight and it was a HUGE hit!! My entire family loved it. This is the third recipe that I've tried and we've loved each one.
18 Anneka May 7, 2012 at 2:06 am: Yummy! My family enjoyed this tonight. Our second pan is in the freezer waiting for another meal Thank you!
19 Jo-anne Blossy May 8, 2012 at 8:00 am: We're having this for dinner tonight. It's in the oven right now and smells divine!
20 KimmYa January 10, 2013 at 1:23 pm: Im making this now for my family and also taking some to a friends family. Looking Forward to it! I found you on pinterest and pinned several of your recipes! I am having trouble linking to the recipe pages from pinterest though:(