Baked Pasta with Roasted Summer Veggies

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1– red bell peppers, diced
• 1–2 zucchini(s),
• chopped yellow onion
• chopped summer squash, diced (can also substitute/add summer squash, carrots, eggplant, mushrooms, etc.)
• 2 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 1 c. ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
• ½ c. parmesan cheese
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 T. fresh oregano, chopped
• ½ lb. mozarella, cubed or shredded (or less—½ lb. is VERY cheesy)
• ½ c. bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, toss olive oil, garlic, red pepper, and zucchini, with salt & pepper to taste. Place vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. While vegetables are roasting, boil and drain pasta. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella, oregano, parmesan, and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Coat pasta with 2ish T. EVOO and then mix with chesse mixture. Gently toss in vegetables.
Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with additional parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and bubbling (about 20 minutes). Serve immediately.

Cheesecake Factory Santa Fe Chicken Salad

4 cups romaine and leaf lettuce

1/4 cup cilantro

1/2 can black beans, rinsed

1/2-1 cup grated Jack cheese

1/4 cup teriyaki marinade

2 chicken breasts

1 cups toasted corn tortilla strips

1/2 cans whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 cups diced, seeded tomatoes

Marinate chicken one hour in teriyaki marinade. Broil and baste chicken aprox. 15 minutes, cool, cut into bite size pieces or shred. In the bowl add lettuce, cilantro, cheese, beans, tomatoes and corn. Mix salad with lime dressing (see below). Add chicken & tortilla strips. Drizzle with peanut butter dressing (see below).

Lime Dressing

1/2 t lime zest

2 T lime juice

1/4 cup snipped cilantro

1/4 t salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 c olive oil

Process until well blended

Peanut dressing

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 T brown sugar

2 T soy sauce

2 t Hot chili oil

1 1/2 T red wine vinegar

3T chunky peanut butter

3T sesame oil

Process until well blended