All-time favorite: Pesto pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Turkey sausage

I'm not afraid to admit it. I totally jumped on the Brussels Sprouts bandwagon when they became the hip new food. They used to be my least favorite vegetable. Then I found out, I was cooking them wrong. I had roasted Brussels sprouts at a restaurant that were amazing and then started experimenting on my own. This is an idea I found on Pinterest - I changed a few ingredients and techniques. Also, it calls for Chicken Italian Sausage, which is only in my grocery store about once a month. I find it's much easier to find Turkey Italian Sausage and the flavor isn't much different to me. The key is both turkey and chicken are healthier than regular Italian Sausage. I have also used sweet, mild and hot variations of the turkey sausage - and all are good. This is one of my absolute favorite meals. But, because it requires a lot of pans and a lot of cooking, I rarely make it during the week.

 

 Pesto pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Turkey sausage

 

• 1 pound of Brussels sprouts  (I trim off the woody stems and slice each one into about 3 slices length wise, I also often peel off the outer layer)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper (I always just say salt and pepper, but I use my grinders of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and it really makes a difference)
• 1 package (usually a pound) Orecchiette pasta (trust me - this is the best pasta with this dish)
• 1 package of Turkey Italian Sausage links (this is usually about 5 links)- sliced into half an inch rounds.
• 5 cloves garlic -thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup of your favorite pesto
• Some shaved parmesan to sprinkle on top.

1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss your sliced Brussels with a tablespoon of oil and some salt and pepper. Spread them out evenly on a cookie sheet. I cover it in foil first. Roast the Brussels for about 20 minutes- flipping them over about halfway through.
2. In a non-stick skillet - heat the other tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Brown the sausage until heated thoroughly. this takes about 15-20 minutes. Then throw in the sliced garlic with the sausage to brown about 2 minutes
3. While the sausage is cooking, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
4. When the pasta is done - toss it with half the pesto. Then add in Brussels and sausage and garlic. Add in the rest of the pesto now.
5. Top each bowl with some parm.

*Makes 4 hefty servings
***This is a 5 on Bryce's Dish Scale. 2 pans. A cookie sheet, cutting board and knife, strainer, big bowl.