Three Cheese Veggie Penne Mac

You know what I love about this recipe? Not only is it a cozy, comforting meal for a cool fall-like night, it was also wicked easy to put together.

If there is one thing I have learned about gluten-free pasta, it is served best when there is no boiling required and you can make a casserole. I typically make my casseroles over the weekend and keep them covered in the fridge until I'm ready to bake and serve them. Veggies meet noodles and cheese. There is no need to boil the noodles and you can prepare this dish ahead of time until you are ready to bake and serve. 

Three Cheese Veggie Penne Mac

2 cups dried brown rice penne noodles
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 18 oz. box sliced mushrooms
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3-4 roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 cloves pressed garlic
2 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Spray a 9' x 13' baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the pasta, corn, mushrooms, onion, red bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese. Pour pasta mixture into the baking dish.

In a medium sized sauce pan, heat the milk and garlic over medium-low heat. Add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Poor the milk mixture over the pasta and top with the grated Parmesan cheese. You can cover and store in your refrigerator until you are ready to bake and serve. When you are ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, let the pasta sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Then, cover the dish with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.