When things don't always go as planned

you improvise.

Sometimes that doesn't even work.

This Baked Penne with Sausage for instance. I didn't like the recipe but that's because I like be hands on. I don't like the idea of using three canned tomato products to make a sauce. But I understand the utility of something cheap and easy so I gave it a shot.

But what I liked least about this recipe is it's portions. With such a large pan, 12 oz of pasta and a pound of sausage is really paltry. I was cutting the recipe in half (to feed three people), but I modified a little bit.

First, and foremost, pepper. Needs pepper.

I didn't like how much garlic was in the can of diced tomatoes and garlic so I minced three medium sized cloves. 

3/4 of a pound of sausage. Ground sausage, don't use linked. If you can't find ground sausage then use the links and peel away the casings.

I went for the whole cup of onions.

I also used the whole 12 oz box of pasta. 

Baked in an 8x8 pan.

It turned out to only be mediocre. The problem was in the pasta. The sauce itself was very tasty but the volume of pasta detracted from it, making the sauce very thin and bland. Should have cut it in half. However with that in mind, I would keep the the 3/4 pounds of sausage and all the other ingredients. You'll have a significantly smaller dish. I made enough for three plus leftovers for lunch - probably six servings.

Not everything works out. It also lacked texture. Larger dice for the tomatoes, add mushrooms (if you like that sort of thing), small dice bell peppers (red and yellow for their color and flavor), and add more whole garlic cloves (Smash 'em or cut them in half length wise). Things of that nature.