Sausage, Peppers, Pasta Marinara

This dish was inspired by Olive Garden and one of our local restaurants has a version also. It is very simple and very good! My daughter says my version is better than Pompeii's, so "thank you" Danielle. Mmmmm, I think I'm still hungry, have to go get those left overs.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound Sweet or Hot Italian Sausage Links (I do 1/2 of each & cut them different, hubby likes it hot, I do not

2 Green or Sweet Peppers of any color, cut into strips

1 Medium Onion sliced into strips

1 Cup Mushrooms - optional

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

3/4 # pasta of your choice

5 Cups Marinara (recipe below)

Parmesan Cheese - freshly grated is best

Marinara Sauce

1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes (28 oz.)

1 Can Tomato Sauce (15 oz.)

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic - if I have to measure ?

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil - optional, I leave this out to keep it lighter

1/2 C Fresh Basil - I've used other basil when I had to, but it is worth that trip to the store for the fresh basil, that makes the dish.

Pepper to taste

Bake or pan-fry sausage until fully cooked. Drain, cut sausage in pieces and add veggies with some water, cover to steam veggies while pasta is cooking. The veggies should not get too mushy.

Simmer Marinara Sauce while all other stuff is cooking.

Boil pasta as directed, drain.

Place pasta on plate, with marinara sauce, then add the sausage veggie mix, topped with fresh Parmesan cheese. Simple, yet wonderful.