Honey BBQ Baked Chicken and Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

Sunday Dinner - the most important meal of the week.  If anyone knows me, they know I ALWAYS cook Sunday dinner.  I feel its the best and most important dinner to end the weekend and start the new week.   In my house lately - it is the only dinner where everyone is accounted for.  Even if I dont cook much during the week - I always cook Sunday Dinner.

Growing up I lived just houses away from my grandmother.  We ate dinner at her house just about every night. On Sunday's she would get up early and start dinner.  Dinner was always early - by 1pm.  We would go to church and when we came home dinner was ready.  It's something even 30 years later I remember.  I want my kids to have that memory as well - that mom had the best Sunday dinners.

Tonights Sunday dinner is posted below.  Comliments of Cooking Light and Emeril Lagasse 
I will post pics later once I cook.  but wanted to post in case anyone was in need of an idea for tonight!


Ingredients for Pasta


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 mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon oregano and basil
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
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.


Ingredients for Chicken

4-6 large thighs or breasts
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
6 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup bbq sauce
1 lemon, zested
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon room temperature butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange a rack inside a large roasting pan and set aside.

Season the chicken both inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, bbq sauce, lemon zest and juice and butter. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan skin side up and roast until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush half of the honey mixture over the chicken, as well as sprinkling half the thyme over the chicken and return the chicken to the oven. Continue to cook another 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush the remaining honey blend and sprinkle the remainder of the thyme over the chicken.

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a platter.