Put some ZIP in your Hump Day!

Here's another Pinterest classic that is easy, tasty, and perfect for a busy weeknight. My roommate whipped this up while I was teaching my night class tonight, and it was spicy, creamy, cheesy and DEE-LISH! Think of it as grown-up macaroni and cheese...with a kick.

Spicy Sausage Pasta
(Source: adapted from Kevin and Amanda's Recipes via America's Test Kitchen and Pinterest)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 14-ounce package smoked turkey sausage, sliced into rounds
1 1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles, Original Style (we used the cilantro and lime variety)
1/2 cup heavy cream (we used about a cup)
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta, about 2 1/2 cups (we used lumaconi)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Thinly sliced scallions (we used fresh chives)
Salt, to taste
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) until smoking. Add the sausage and onion, and cook until lightly browned, about four minutes. Add in the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the broth, Ro-Tel, heavy cream, uncooked pasta, and pepper, and give the mixture a good stir. Bring to a boil, cover the skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking. Preheat the broiler while the pasta is cooking.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in one cup of the cheese. Taste, and add salt as needed. Top with the scallions (or chives) and remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned - about 3 minutes.