Macaroni And Cheese With Roasted Veggies & Lamb Sausage

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 6 oktoberfest lamb sausage or 6 your favourite lamb sausage
• 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 zucchini, unpeeled and cubed
• 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cubed
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and cubed
• 1 ear sweet corn, fresh or frozen, cut in 2 inch lengths
• 1 medium carrot, cubed
• 1 peeled sweet potatoes or 1 yam, cubed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (385 ml) can 2% evaporated milk, add fresh
• 2% low-fat milk, to make 3 cups
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces light cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 5 cups cooked penne pasta (we like whole wheat penne)
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumb
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Recipe

• 1 place lamb sausage in a large dutch oven, brown on all sides, drain fat and poke each sausage several times with a sharp knife.
• 2 return to dutch oven, cover with water, add hot red pepper flakes, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
• 3 bring to boil, simmer for 1 hour, remove to drain on paper towel.
• 4 discard water and bay leaves.
• 5 slice sausage into bite size pieces, set aside.
• 6 place veggies in a large bowl, drizzle veggie oil over all, toss until all veggies are well coated.
• 7 spread coated veggies, in one layer, on lightly greased baking sheet; roast for 25 minutes at 450f degrees, turning once.
• 8 whisk 1/4 cup of the milk with flour.
• 9 in a saucepan, heat remaining milk over medium heat until bubbles appear around edge; whisk in flour mixture and bring to boil, whisking constantly.
• 10 reduce heat to medium low; cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until thickened.
• 11 remove from heat, whisk in cheddar and cream cheese, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper.
• 12 meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water; cook pasta until barely tender.
• 13 drain well and return to pot; stir in sauce.
• 14 add bite size pieces lamb sausage.
• 15 remove corn kernels from husks, discard husks, add all roasted veggies to pasta/sausage/sauce mixture, stir gently to coat.
• 16 spoon mixture into greased 10 cup casserole.
• 17 topping: mix bread crumbs with melted butter and parmesan cheese.
• 18 sprinkle topping mixture over top of casserole.
• 19 bake at 450f degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and golden.