Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

So far, I'm following my menu for the week well! I always try to get at least one vegetarian meal on menu and last night was Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables. Now this one certainly wasn't the prettiest dinner I've ever made. I actually debated on whether or not I should even include the picture in this post, but then I figured, what's a food blog without the pictures? So I did. But what it lacked in looks, it more than made up for in taste. It was hearty and filling, even healthy, but not too heavy. Delicious!

 
Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 6-8

2 zucchinis
2 yellow squash
2 red bell peppers
1 onion
1 (8oz) package of sliced mushrooms

5 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of Italian herbs (thyme, basil, oregano)
dash of salt and black pepper

1 (16 oz.) box of penne pasta
3 cups tomato sauce
2 cups ricotta cheese (I used part-skim)

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, grated
2 Tablespoons of butter, cut into small chunks
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.

Chop zucchini, squash, onion, and peppers into chunks. Place the veggies, along with the mushrooms, into a large Ziploc bag. Add the olive oil, garlic, spices, salt and pepper and shake to combine. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 12 minutes. Remove, and flip/stir the veggies and place back in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil and cook penne pasta to al dente. When finished, mix with tomato sauce and set aside. When veggies are done, use a slotted spoon (to avoid getting extra liquid) to take them off the baking sheet and place into pot with pasta. Mix with ricotta cheese and stir to combine.

Spread pasta and veggies into a 9X13 baking pan. (I was actually able spread them out a bit more and use one 9X13 and one 8X8 pan. You can either pack them into one or spread them out into two). Top with grated mozzarella, Parmesan, and small cubes of butter. Bake for 10 minutes at 425, and then turn oven down to 375. Bake until cheese on top is golden brown, about 18-25 minutes.

Adapted from Ezra Poundcake, original recipe here.