Rattlesnake Pasta- The First Meal I Cooked For My Husband

When my husband and I were first dating, we used to go out to eat a lot.  I would get out of school, change out of my scrubs, shower off the anatomy smell, and then he'd come over, pick me up and we'd go eat somewhere.  This went on for a few weeks, until I finally decided it was time to take our relationship to the next level.  I was going to cook for him.  He'd eaten food I'd made for parties, but I'd never just cooked a meal for the two of us.  I wanted it to be really good, I wanted it to be something easy, and I wanted it to be spicy since he loves spicy food.  So I made Rattlesnake Pasta.  

  

Rattlesnake pasta, has no snake, it's made with spicy Italian sausage, tomatoes, green chillies, and bell peppers.  It's not smooth like a traditional marinara sauce, because it's full of different textures and flavors.  Because I am always on the look out for ways to make things healthier, I like to use Hot Turkey Italian Sausage.  I use one link per person, because I like leftovers...and sometimes seconds.

Ingredients:
1 package Hot Italian Sausage
1-3 cups Tri Color Bell Peppers (the more peppers you use, the less pasta you need)
1 onion
1 can tomatoes and green chilies
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp minced garlic
Pasta of your choice

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions, minus 2 minutes.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Brown the sausage in a skillet, and set aside to cool.  In the same pan, add the pepper and onions.  Cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the canned tomatoes, garlic and Italian Seasoning to the peppers and stir to combine.  Slice the sausage into bite size pieces, and add to the pan.  Bring to a bubble, and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until thickened.  Once slightly thickened, add the pasta and pasta water if the sauce seems dry.

Taste the sauce and add Salt and Pepper if desired.  Garnish with parmesan cheese and try not to eat it all in one sitting!