Penne Pasta with Vegetables

William (Uncle Bill) Anatooskin's Note:

This is an excellent pasta dish to be served with any chicken dishes.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 8 ounces penne pasta, dry
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups sliced zucchini
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped small
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. Add broccoli for the last 2 minutes of cooking pasta.
3. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
4. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, add olive oil, garlic, onion and mushrooms and saute' for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Now add sliced zucchini and continue to saute' for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add chicken broth, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
7. Reduce heat to medium, add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
8. Stir in spinach and lemon rind; cook covered for 2 minutes or until spinach is tender.
9. When done, add cooked mixture to pasta/broccoli and toss to coat well.
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
12. Serve immediately.

Reviews

[Lori Mama]

Very much enjoyed. I added extra lemon zest, spinach and omitted the zucchini. Personal preference. :)

[Bev]

I can always depend on Uncle Bill for a fantastic supper! This dish is no exception. The medley of flavors is a treat. I might add some chicken or shrimp to this dish the next time I make it to complete the meal. Thanks, Uncle Bill!** Edited (1/30/2012) to add that I continue making this wonderful recipe now that we are making the switch to meatless meals. The only changes I make now is to use canola oil in place of the olive (to make even healthier), use vegetable broth in place of the chicken and eliminate the Parmesan ~ Thanks again, Uncle Bill for sharing all your fabulous recipes!!

[Zinnia's chef]

This was delicious! The flavors blended very nicely. I left out the mushrooms as I am not a fan of them. It was good even without them. I didn't pay close attention to the amount of penne to make. I made the whole box (which I noticed afterwards was 14 oz.) and it was way too much for the amount of vegetables I had. Other than that it went great. I prepped the veggies earlier in the day so when it came time to cook it all I had to do was mix per the directions! This one I will definitely make again!