baked penne with roasted veggies.

Since all of my nights begin with a dog walk instead of a glass of wine (that comes later), I have been wanting something cozy after peeling off my wool coat.  Yes, I know I live in LA but I have LA blood and the spring nights are still chilly!  I love this baked penne dish because you can use roasted veggies that you have on hand - I have made it with countless combinations!  And since the veggies are roasted, you could begin one half of the recipe in the morning (veggie roasting) and finish it off in the evening with pasta, sauce and bubbly cheese....

baked penne.

3 cups whole wheat penne

3 cups veggies, cleaned and sliced (I used bell peppers and mushrooms)

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen spinach

marinara sauce

shredded cheese (I used low fat & it was actually pretty good)

Suggested vegetables to use: bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, eggplant, asparagus

 For the veggies:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large baking dish, arrange veggies in a single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes, depending on the vegetable.  In the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, sprinkle minced garlic and stir gently to combine.  Continue cooking until vegetables are tender and caramelized.  If cooking dish at a later time, remove and bring to room temp before covering and putting dish in the fridge.  

To finish:  Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drain pasta and add to baking sheet with roasted veggies.  Pour in sauce (be generous) and add frozen peas.  Stir to combine and sprinkle in half of the cheese.  Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle top with remaining cheese and add a few cracks of fresh black pepper.  Bake about 20 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.