Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies and Chicken (Feb. 11, 2010)

Here’s another healthy favorite:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Chop vegetables into bite size pieces:
1 red pepper
2 zucchini
2 summer squash
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 leek

Place on baking sheet (I use large stoneware bar pan from Pampered Chef) with:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Toss vegetables in oil gently and bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes (or until tender).

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta for 6-7 minutes (needs to still be hard on the inside; it will finish cooking in the oven):
1# whole wheat penne pasta

In a large bowl, mix:
1 large jar of Ragu Organic Original Marinara Sauce
1 c. ricotta cheese
8 oz. shredded part skim mozzarella
1 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed
3 c. pre-cooked, cubed chicken (optional: without the chicken, this dish makes a great side dish or vegetarian meal)

Drain pasta and add to cheese/sauce mixture. Add roasted veggies. Toss gently and pour into greased 9×13 pan or large casserole dish.

Top with:
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces (placed on top of Parmesan to make a nice crispy topping)

Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.

Serves 12. Could also be used as a side dish for a large party.

It is SO yummy!