Turkey Sausage and Penne with Feta

A quick casserole for you to tide you over until the weekend - then the baked goods will re-appear with a vengeance. I have been busy busy busy trying to get things done around the apartment and semi-sorta pack (for our future moving) and meeting up with friends and house hunting (you know, all that lovely gorgeous stuff called 'life').

For the record - house hunting is for the birds, man. Soooo not as fun as I always envisioned it to be. There's a lot of stinkers on the market right now, but I have faith. We'll find a cutey little place that doesn't need a ton of work and with a nice kitchen to boot. Cross your fingers. I have great faith in our agent, she's a total gem.

That being said, my poor blog has been suffering. I've been making meals that are quick and already on the blog, or I forget to photograph them; still, I was able to get this one done. This recipe is yummy, and comes from Cooking Light so you know it won't hurt the waistline. I was a bit more liberal with the feta than the recipe calls for, because hey - the rest of it is so healthy, I couldn't resist. I'm not a huge fan of eggplant (I mean I like it okay; I could take it or leave it I guess) but it is really good in this dish.

Turkey Sausage and Penne with Feta

(from Cooking Light magazine, April 2005)

Ingredients:

4 1/2 c. cubed peeled eggplant (I usually salt and drain it before using)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb. turkey sausage, cut into thick slices

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

10 oz. penne (I used some tri-colored weirdly-shaped stuff instead)

1/2 c. (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Cook eggplant, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 2-4 minutes or until eggplant begins to get tender. Toss in turkey sausage and brown. Add tomato paste and the next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally (just long enough to cook down the juices a bit and meld the flavors).

Cook pasta according to directions, and drain. Place in a large bowl. Add tomato mixture, feta, and parsley; toss well.