- 12 ounces precooked smoked chicken or turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (you can substitute the same amount of Italian sausage - just cook and drain it)
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1 cup sliced olives
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (don't be afraid of this! It won't make it spicy, I promise)
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 tomato, sliced thinly
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
In a medium saucepan melt the butter, then whisk in flour and spices. Allow the flour/butter mixture to cook without browning for about 30 seconds while whisking/stirring. Slowly add the milk and stir until slightly thickened, this may take about 5-6 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan. When slightly thickened, pour the milk mixture over pasta mixture and mix well.
Pour into an 11X7-inch (or circular) lightly greased casserole dish. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove cover and add tomato slices on top then sprinkle parmesan cheese over and bake uncovered for 10 minutes more. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Note to Self: This was definitely a kid-friendly meal. Chris liked it, but didn't love it...too kid-friendly. I thought it had lots of flavor and will definitely add it to our menu. One thing we added was Sun-dried tomatoes to give it another burst of flavor...good choice!
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