Baked Penne and Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Baked Penne and Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’ vegetarian meal found on the Food Network's site here.

Prep Time: 25 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
• 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 cremini mushrooms, halved
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• optional 2 chicken breasts
• optional ground sausage
• optional roasted garlic

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

• On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

• In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

• Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Roasted Vegetables - Easy Recipe

Super Easy Recipe for those who enjoy using their ovens.


Integrating that lone potato, pepper, carrot or squash in a meal isn't that hard. Why not try oven-baked vegetables to bring out new textures and flavors, inexpensively and easily, without boiling, frying or microwaving. 

Invite family members to choose which vegetables they would like to have roasted to suit their tastes.

Sometimes asking children to prepare and select 2 or 3 different veggies helps get that "magical five" into their daily dose.

Surprisingly, all the vegetables "finish" cooking at the same time, but if you prefer much crunchier peppers, celery or squash, add them to the oven about half way through the baking time.




Ingredients:

• Favorite vegetables (root vegetables are excellent, however we enjoy just about all our vegetables in this manner).
• Olive Oil (or Grape Seed Oil)
• Italian Herbal Seasonings (OR your family's favorites OR seasoning packets such as Ranch, Taco, Asian, Herbal for a change in flavor)
• Salt, Pepper as desired
• Cookie Sheet and Parchment Paper (this prevents sticking and burning  - and helps with clean-up, too!)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Chop Vegetables into desired shapes and sizes. 

The smaller the sizes, the shorter the cooking time.

Place into plastic bag.

Add oil and Italian Herbal Seasoning (or seasonings of your choice. Substitute with seasoning packages if desired).

Twist top of bag, and shake well so that all the pieces are coated.

Place parchment paper on baking sheet, spread out vegetables, add a tiny amount of kosher or sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, depending on chopped sizes, and desired doneness.

Roasting cauliflower produces a rather nutty taste. 


Sometimes we leave out the oil in order to achieve a different flavor and/or texture.

Vegetables which are roasted have a richer flavor, enhancing meals and providing interesting tastiness when preparing them for soups or side dishes such as mashing or served with sauces. 

Roast Eggplant, Sweet Potatoes, or Potatoes may be sliced lengthwise, in disks or cubed to create finger food, or prepare for layering in casseroles, as an alternative to frying or boiling. 

Oven-baked Peppers are excellent additions for omelettes, sides, or garnish.