This is a very easy weeknight dinner and a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your family’s mealtime.The basic ingredients are cheese, pasta, vegetables, tomatoes for sauce, and olive oil. You can also add a protein of your choice.
I use sauce made from Fair Ridge Farms tomatoes. For the past couple of weeks when I get tomatoes, I roast them in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 375-400 degrees, then set them aside. Once they have cooled, I peel and seed the tomatoes, and then leave them in the refrigerator until I need to use them. This week, I have used them in homemade chili and also in tomato sauce for this pasta dish.
Sauce & veggies: saute onion, garlic, and peppers in olive oil over medium heat. As they are sauteing, add fresh or dried herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage, along with salt and pepper. Then add other veggies from your box. I added green beans and kale. Saute for a couple of minutes. Then add chopped roasted tomatoes (peeled and seeded) along with tomato juices. Saute for five to ten minutes, covered.
Meanwhile, boil 16 oz of rigatoni, penne or some other short pasta. Drain. Heat oven to 375.
Place a bit of sauce/veggies in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, then add pasta. Stir in the rest of the sauce and veggies. If you don’t have enough, add some jarred pasta sauce. Cover with shredded mozzarella (or better yet, fresh), Parmesan, and any other cheese you like. Cover pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then bake an additional 10 minutes or so uncovered to brown the cheese.
Meanwhile, while you are cooking the pasta dish, you can roast this week’s tomatoes and maybe a couple of sweet potatoes.
Serve with salad.
