Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

My friend found this recipe in the latest Kraft Foods magazine and told me how yummy it was, so I pulled out my magazine and made it too. Now, my husband enjoys my cooking and appreciates a home-cooked meal as much as the next guy, but he doesn't always comment much about the food unless it's really fantastic. Let's just say, he couldn't stop raving about this meal all during dinner! It is super easy to make, just a few ingredients, and is a sure hit! The best part? Even my 4-year-old and 1-year-old loved it! (sorry there's not photo, the food was gone before I could get any pictures taken!)

Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients:

3 cups rigatoni pasta, uncooked

1 lb. Italian sausage, sliced

1 each: red, green and yellow pepper, coarsely chopped

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Italian* Mozzarella-Parmesan Cheese Blend

1/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, cook sausage in large skillet on medium heat 10 min. Stir in peppers; cook 7 min. or until sausage is cooked through and peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 min. or until heated through.

DRAIN pasta. Add to sausage mixture with shredded cheese; mix well.

TOP with Parmesan.

**My notes. I didn't have any diced tomatoes, so I used 2 cans of tomato sauce and just let the spice from the sausage flavor the dish. I went to the store this week and got some diced tomatoes so when I make it again at the end of the week, I can see how it tastes with the other kinds of tomatoes. My husband really liked the sauciness of the tomato sauce though, so I might try adding a small can of that in addition to the diced tomatoes just to give it a little more sass. And for the sausage, I got the sausage that looks like Bratwurst, then cooked it whole about half way before cutting it up into slices, then continued along with the rest of the directions.

I'd love to hear what your family thinks when you make this for them!