Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk)
1 pound rigatoni (I used penne)
10 oz frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 or 2 9-oz bags fresh spinach)
12 oz precooked smoked chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used Trader Joe's Garlic Herb Chicken Sausage)
8 oz mozzarella cheese, 4 oz cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded (I just used all shredded)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until about a minute less than the al dente package directions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling water right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I added 1/2 tsp salt.)
4. Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach, and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (I didn't add any more seasoning here.) Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9x13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8x8-inch pans.) Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Make ahead instructions: Prepare recipe until the baking step, and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer. Alternately, the dish can be prepared and refrigerated (covered) for up to 12 hours before baking. Bake as directed in the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed.

Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/baked-pasta-with-chicken-sausage-2/

Try #1 - May 23, 2015
A nice alternative to my normal baked ziti. Everyone (except Lucy, of course) seemed to like it. The biggest difference I made was to layer the shredded mozzarella on the pasta like I would normally do for baked ziti, instead of mixing it in with the other ingredients.  This is mostly because I don't have anything other than shredded mozzarella on hand.