Sausage, Mushroom & Pasta Bake (gluten-free option)

For a gluten-free option, I use a quinoa-corn pasta, and no one ever knows the difference. Then, instead of making a typical white sauce using flour, I use the method described below. It is easy, delicious, and made extra creamy and gooey with the addition of a half cup of cheese.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound sausage (this time, I used half sweet and half hot turkey sausage; use your favorite)
8 ounces baby bellas, cremini, or button mushrooms, halved or quartered, depending on size
2 cups packed, roughly chopped greens (kale, collard greens, or spinach work well)
2 cups (about 5 ounces) small tubular pasta (I often use rotelle), cooked on the lower time frame specified on package directions
1 cup milk (I use 2%; could use non-fat or whole)
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill
1 cup Sargento cheese, divided use (Four State Cheddar or 6 Cheese Italian Blend work especially well)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large skillet coated with olive oil, sauté the mushrooms over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and become golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Remove sausage from the casings and sauté ( in the same skillet) over medium heat, stirring and crumbling as you cook, until the sausage is cooked through. Remove to a plate.
If you use pork sausage, you may want to discard some of the excess fat from the skillet at this point. I use a leaner turkey sausage and keep the little bit of fat that remains. Add the milk and cornstarch/water mixture. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 minute or until the cornstarch is incorporated and the mixture has thickened slightly. Stir in the salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of the cheese, stirring until just melted, and remove from the heat.
In the same skillet or the pot in which you cooked the pasta, combine the cheese sauce with the sausage, mushrooms, greens, and pasta. Transfer the mixture to a lightly-greased, 2-quart baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is hot throughout and the cheese is melted.