Veggies, Veggies Everywhere!

Friday night Amanda and I expertly fed three ravenous boys (Kevin, Woody and Kam) appetizers, dinner and a kick butt Phillies dessert. Apps were simple garlic and smoked mozzarella crostinis which disappeared before I got a good picture. We continued the trend of amazing one dish meals with another recipe from Giada (which made a ton, definitely cut the recipe in half for smaller groups). We did add two links of hot italian sausage (crumbled and browned) to the dish in fear that the boys would revolt due to the large amount of veggies but this dish would still be amazing and filling without it. The veggies were so good that I would make them and eat them straight out of the oven. You must splurge on the herbs de Provence and the smoked mozzarella cheese. The cheese adds a wonderful flavor and tastes like campfire (in an amazing wonderful way!).

Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies

(Giada, Food Network)

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 (I used a box of pre-sliced mushrooms)
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 herbs de Provence (or Italian Herbs)
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed (I strongly dislike frozen peas in things so this was vetoed)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 (ours only took 10ish minutes so keep an eye on it). 

Getting our veggie on!