foodie friday

casey and i have gotten pretty creative on ways to save money since i've been at home with webb. one of these creative moves was to switch to basic cable. meaning, abc, nbc, cbs, and some public television. we realized we wasted lots-o-time channel surfing. it was an easy change for him, because he would rather be reading or putting together a puzzle. i, on the other hand don't read and am not a fan of puzzles. i knew it would be an adjustment. what i miss the most is watching the food network, especially giada. thankfully she makes some cameos on the today show every now and then, so i haven't been totally deprived.

since this weeks deals at publix were all italian themed, i've been trying to figure out what to make for dinner, besides spaghetti. my shelves are full of marinara, tomatoes, pasta, frozen veggies and cheese. on my search, i found one of my favorite giada dishes. i think it'll become one of your favorites too.

(photo from food network)

baked penne with roasted vegetables

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

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.