Chicken Sausage Pasta

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 pound spicy Italian chicken sausage
• 1 5-6 oz bag baby spinach
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped grape tomatos
• 1 cup prepared tomato sauce (e.g., Prego)
• 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 and 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or less if desired)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (less or none if you don't like spicy)

Optional: add sauted onions and mushrooms

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente
• Cook chicken sausage in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat for 12-14 minutes, or until browned.  When almost done, add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.  Turn off heat and remove sausage with tongs, placing on cutting board.  Slice into bite-sized pieces.  Pour remaining butter and garlic into a lare bowl.
• Place the spinach in the bottom of your pasta strainer.  When pasta is done, pour pasta and pasta water over the spinach into the strainer, allowing the spinach to wilt slightly.
• Chop grape tomatos into quarters for a total of 1 cup.
• Pour pasta, sausage, spinach and tomatos into bowl with garlic.
• Add tomato sauce, yogurt, milk, 1 cup of the cheese and spices to bowl.  Mix very well.  Pour into casserole dish.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.  Cover dish with foil.
• Cook for 30 minutes covered.  Remove foil, cook for an additional 10 minutes.