Giada's Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

When this came out of the oven this afternoon, I thought "I wish I could take a picture of the way it smells." Che Buono!

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, I used Giada's basic marinara recipe)
• 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

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.

I have made 7 of Giada's recipes in the last two weeks. 5 of them were DELISH. I think she deserves a spot on the sidebar. You're movin' on up Giada!

Giada's Yummy Spinach

This is fresh, light and a great way to use up the rest of your large bag of spinach. My fam doesn't go for cooked spinach, so when I made this, I made it for one, but I ate a half a bag of spinach. Go Leafy Green Requirement!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 (10 ounce) bags of prewashed spinach ( about 10 cups)
• 1 lemons, zest of

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until almost tender, about 6 minutes. Add the broth, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
3. Add one third of the spinach and cook it until it just begins to wilt. Continue adding the spinach one large handful at a time, sautéing just until it begins to wilt before adding more.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.

Giada's Basic Marinara

No, I don't have a personal relationship with Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network. But I got two of her books at the library this week, I've tried two recipes, and been happy two times.

I've been frustrated with the lack of consistent success with my marinara sauce. (BTW Jim and Lisa, I really want both of your marinara recipes.) The main differences I see between her sauce and mine is that she uses a lot more olive oil, more onion, and bay leaves. I liked the sauce. The fam liked it, and it's freezable, easy to double, and doctor up into a ton of other sauces.

I don't know where our camera is right now, so no pictures.

Directions

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

I copied and pasted that from her website, so that's why there are all the links. I hope that's not a copyright infringement. It's all about GIADA people. It's not MINE.