Creamy Spinach & Sausage Pasta

Ingredients

• 6 oz. smoked sausage
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 can diced tomatoes w/chiles
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz. pasta
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup 4 oz. shredded monterrey jack
• 1 whole green onion

Directions

1. Cut the smoked sausage into thin slices, then put it in a large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is well browned, about 5-7 minutes. Pour off the extra fat.
2. Chop the onion and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring as needed, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes with chiles and the chicken broth. Stir everything together, scraping up the browned bits from the skillet so they melt into the liquid.
4. Add the dry pasta to the skillet, nudging it down so every piece is covered by liquid. Cover the pan and bring everything to a boil. When it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir once or twice as it cooks so the pasta does not stick.
5. Work in the fresh spinach 1 cup at a time, stirring until it wilts before adding more. Adding it all together will crowd the skillet too much to stir easily. Leave the heat on while the spinach goes in so the liquid keeps simmering and thickening.
6. Scatter the shredded cheese over the top, cover the skillet again, and let it rest for a few minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Slice the green onion and sprinkle it over the pasta. Serve hot.