Velveeta Italian Sausage Bake

This was a great new pasta dish, that I absolutley loved (the kids wanted my old one back); but I will be making this new recipe AGAIN and AGAIN!  For the past year I have been trying to make new recipes almost everyday and atleast a few new ones each week, then when we find one we like my family wants me to make it again, but it seems that I make them only once and even if we LOVE IT, I often just move on to the next one in my pile of recipes! (so, this year we are going to try and REPEAT a few favorites)

Here is just a very small pile of my recipes that I am longing to make
(this is what I cut out in one weekend).

Velveeta Italian Sausage Bake

 from Kraft Food & Family

1-1/2 cups Penne pasta

1 lb. Italian sausage (we used Jimmy Dean Sausage, YUM!)

3 cups halved zucchini slices

1 Red pepper, chopped

1 can (8 oz.) pizza sauce (we made homemade Pizza Sauce, recipe below)

1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Homemade Pizza Sauce

adapted from original recipe at The Chatty Mom Blog

1 (6oz) can of tomato paste

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp minced garlic cloves

1/4 tsp Oregano

1/4 tsp Basil

1/2 tsp sea salt

In a small bowl add tomato paste then add in olive oil a little at a time mixing completely. Add water next a little at a time mixing completley inbetween each pour. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Heat oven to 350. Cook pasta as directed on package. Brown sausage in large skillet on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to break up sausage. Drain; return sausage to skillet. Stir in zucchini, peppers and pizza sauce; cook 5 to 6 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; Add to sausage mixture with velveeta cheese; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with Parmesan. Bake 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.

This recipe is also posted at: Life as a Mom