One pot wonders make weeknight dinners easy, not only to fix but also to clean up! This month’s recipe is One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta brought to you by Leah Conaway-Washington and her family. The recipe, originally found on the popular social app Pinterest, catered to Leah’s southern-inspired tastebuds.
“As a season ticket holder, I grew up going to New Orleans Saints football games and, in turn, enjoyed Louisiana cuisines,” Leah shared.“ Now when visiting New Orleans, we love to take our boys to local restaurants, and pasta is an all-time family favorite!”
Leah has been happily married to her husband Dominic for 19 years. He is a mortgage broker for Regions Bank. The couple met in college and together they have two boys: Brock Conaway (14) and Beau Cullen (12).
“When I first started making this recipe, it was simply because it was fast and that it included sausage and pasta, both my boys’ favorites,” said Leah. “Now my boys ask for it at least once a week, if not more.
Afternoons and evenings are usually filled with activities for the Washington boys. Brock plays both basketball and football for Fairhope High School. Beau plays flag football for the Eastern Shore Flag Football League and enjoys being in the band and part of the basketball team at Fairhope East Elementary. As you can see, the family is often on the move, so eating out tends to happen more often than not. However, the prep on this recipe is fast and perfect for weeknight family dinners around the kitchen table.
“DOUBLE EVERYTHING!” Leah shared.“ Now that I double the recipe, leftovers may last for another day.”
Outside of the day-to-day routines of the Washington family, they simply love to spend time together. The beach and trips to Disney are musts for this family of four! Leah shares that a tradition of their family is to catch an NBA game in the winter. They love to cheer on the New Orleans Pelicans. They also strive to attend at least one Golden State Warriors game to catch a glimpse of a family favorite, Steph Curry.
Leah is an extremely dedicated 4th-grade teacher at Fairhope East Elementary and is celebrating 20 years of teaching this year. Her first job, and only other job before teaching, was as a cheer instructor for UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association). When Leah has a chance to unwind, she loves to shop, read, and jazzercise!
“I am constantly searching for recipes that are both easy and delicious. I’m not a big cook, so when I want to find a dish, it is important that I use the recipe/instructions to precision,” Leah said. “I’m not one to just add‘ a little bit of this or that.’ Recipes must have explicit instructions and be easy to follow.”
Leah thinks Eastern Shore Parent’s readers should make this recipe because not only is it easy, but it’s delicious. Plus, it is so convenient that both the prep and cooking are from one pot!
One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef sausage, smoked or turkey sausage
- 1 tbsp garlic (I use minced garlic)
- 1 cup onion
- 1/3 cup scallions
- 1 10-oz can of tomatoes (I use Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8-ounce pasta, dry (I use bowtie pasta)
- 1 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 cup cheddar-jack cheese
- ½ cup milk or heavy cream (I use heavy whipping cream)
Instructions
- First, place oil in a pot with chopped onions and the sausage.
- Add the minced garlic near the end once you see that the onions and sausage are almost finished cooking.
- Next, add the chicken broth, Rotel tomatoes, heavy whipping cream, and box of bow-tie pasta to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Once the pasta is done, add ½ cup of shredded cheese to the pot and mix it all together. Top with the remaining cheese and scallions. Enjoy!
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 16 years. Together they have three incredible children – two boys, ages 15 and eight, and a sweet girl who joined the family last summer. She is a full-time Pink Cadillac Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Foley.
Author: Gabriele Jones
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 16 years. Together they have three incredible children - two boys, ages 15 and eight, and a sweet girl who joined the family last summer. She is a full time Pink Cadillac Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Foley.
