Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

With school starting back up earlier this month (one last semester to go!), we've been trying to get into a brand new schedule.  I really like recipes like this Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables for busy times like this.  Not only is it fairly healthy and really tasty, it also makes a TON of leftovers for our little family- the very full 9x13 pan lasts us 3 meals- so I have a couple days after making it that I don't have to worry about getting dinner on the table. 

Ingredients:

2 red peppers, cut into 1-inch strips
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 yellow squash, quartered and sliced
4 mushrooms (the recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, but we can't always find those- plain white button mushrooms work fine)

1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt, divided

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce

1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for on top
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Note:  The original recipe actually calls for smoked mozzarella.  I'm sure that would would be absolutely amazing in this recipe, but I've never managed to find any.  Additionally, fontina can be very hit and miss in our ability to find.  When we can't find fontina for the recipe, we just use 1-1/2 cups regular mozzarella, and it's still a really tasty dish.

Preheat oven to 450º

Place the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, onion on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, 1/2 tsp of the salt, 1/2 tsp of the pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Mix until the veggies are coated and bake for 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the penne in the water for about 6 minutes- since you'll be cooking the pasta further in the oven, you'll want to be sure that it's not fully cooked, or your pasta will end up mushy.  Drain the penne in a colander.  

In a large bowl (or in the same stock pot you used to boil the penne), gently mix together the vegetables, pasta, marinara, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, cheeses, and peas.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and top with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces.  Bake at 450º for about 25 minutes, or until top is golden.