This recipe was in the Minneapolis Star Tribune paper. I’m not sure of the date, but it originated from Meredith Deeds who is a regular writer in the Taste section. The Taste section is definitely my favorite section of the paper!
I chose this recipe because I wanted to use some Stock from my freezer and this recipe uses 4 cups of broth. I had to substitute more of the ingredients than planned because my trip to the grocery store was after the hoarding of groceries began. The COVID-19 virus has us all in a panic and unfortunately some people hoard food and supplies. I have to admit that when I saw all of the bare shelves my first reaction was to buy whatever I could get my hands on. I had to remind myself that we are very blessed in this country with an abundance of food. There was still food in the store, but not what I intended to buy.
I had planned to get turkey sausage replacing the Italian bulk sausage which was in the original recipe, but ended up with the turkey sausage ring (already cooked). I also wanted to get the small pasta, but could only find an imported brand of orecchiette. The pasta shelves were mostly bare.
It did not turn out well, but I’m not going to put this recipe into recycling. I want to try it with the regular turkey sausage and smaller pasta. The ring turkey sausage did not give it much flavor and the larger pasta was way under cooked- some were still crunchy. I also goofed and overcooked the broccoli, but I think that there is a big possibility this recipe will end up in my Favorite’s Binder! Here is the recipe how I intended to prepare it:
Creamy Sausage and Broccoli Pasta Skillet
Serves 4
1 T olive oil
1 lb. sweet or spicy turkey sausage removed from casings
3 C broccoli, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 C poultry broth/stock
12 oz. small shell pasta or any small pasta
1/2 c 2% Evaporated milk
½ c grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
1 T fresh lemon juice
Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey sausage and cook, breaking it apart until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broccoli and stir several minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until broccoli is close to your preference for tenderness. Transfer sausage and broccoli to a plate. Add pasta and the broth/stock to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until not quite tender. Return sausage and broccoli along with the evaporated milk to the skillet and continue to cook, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking. Cook until pasta and broccoli are tender about 3 minutes. Add cheese stirring for about a minute until incorporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve.
Minnesota Food Lover 