Sausage, Pesto, and Tomato Pasta

My work scheduled recently changed - which means I now work 12 hour days. Don't think I'm complaining about this at all. On the contrary, I love it. 12 hours doesn't really feel that much longer than 10 and in exchange I only work one weekend a month and only 3 days a week. What this does mean though, it that when I get home I am hungry and need food as fast as possible. I don't have a lot of time to slave over a dish, nor do I have the patience to wait very long. Because of this, I am always on the hunt for quick and tasty recipes.

This one fits the bill perfectly. It only takes about 20 minutes to prepare and is bursting with flavor. And the sausage is oh, so good. Side note - I never really touched Italian Sausage until I started dating my husband. Now I use it just about every chance I get - things like spaghetti, meatballs, lasagne all got the ground beef swapped with Italian sausage.

My mom and brother happened to be visiting when I made this and they were both raving about it. And lets not forget my husband - he loved it too!

Recipe:
Yield: 4-6 servings

16 oz pasta of your choice
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more if needed
5 hot Italian Sausages, sliced
1 package of grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 prepared basil pesto
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Zest of one lemon
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to original pot.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and sausage. When the sausage is cooked, add to the pot of pasta along with the pesto, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Add the tomatoes to the skillet (with additional olive oil if needed to prevent sticking) and heat through - about 3 minutes. Add to the pot of pasta and stir to combine.

Source: adapted from Pepper Lynn