Creamy Mild Italian Sausage and Shells with Sweet Peas and Baby Spinach

Prepare the vegetables: Peel and finely dice 1 medium yellow onion. Peel and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Wash 2 cups of fresh baby spinach and pat it dry. Grate 0.5 cup of parmesan cheese from a block.

In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Remove 1 lb of mild Italian sausage from its casings and add it to the pan.

Brown the sausage for about 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until it is deeply browned and cooked through.

Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet with the sausage. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and soft.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.

Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of heavy cream. Add 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Stir well to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add 12 oz of uncooked medium pasta shells to the liquid. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking, until the shells are tender and the sauce has thickened.

Stir in 1 cup of frozen sweet peas and the 2 cups of fresh baby spinach. Cook for 2 minutes until the peas are heated through and the spinach has wilted into the sauce.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the 0.5 cup of grated parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce is glossy.

Let the dish rest for 2 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to fully coat the pasta.