Baked Penne Pasta with Sausage (Slow Cooker)

I have never experimented with cooking pasta in the Crockpot, but tonight was the right time to try! I didn't really have a dinner plan (or even a dinner thought) until almost 3pm. My first piano student was arriving at 4pm, the last would leave around 5:35pm and we had to be at church for Bible quizzing at 5:50pm. Wow. We were both craving pasta and I wasn't sure how to accomplish a delicious, well-balanced pasta dinner without having to cook at 8pm--NOT my idea of a good time. (I'm a 5-6pm dinner type of person.) But I decided to give this a try. 

It worked--quite beautifully I might add. Kevin had two large bowls and I had MUCH more than I anticipated. I was really hungry and this baked pasta dish was just really delicious. I suggest you try it soon! Heck, you've gone nothing to lose. It takes about 5 and half minutes to prepare, and only 2-4 hours in the crockpot. Awesome!

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked penne pasta 

2 cups pasta sauce

2 precooked sausages, thinly sliced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced 

pinch of crushed red pepper

1/2 cup grated mozzarella or provolone cheese 

1/2-3/4 cup water 

Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Directions

Spray the bottom and edges of a 4 quart crockpot insert with non-stick cooking spray. 

Rinse pasta in a colander for added moisture. Pour pasta, sauce, sliced sausages, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, cheese and water in the slow cooker. Stir thoroughly. Cook on low 4-5 hours (or on high for 2-3 hours).