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Three-Cheese & Pepper Penne Recipe

Three-Cheese & Pepper Penne Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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This creamy pasta entree comes together in a snap. It makes two casseroles, so you can freeze one or share it with friends. —Jasey McBurnett, Rock Springs, Wyoming

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Three-Cheese & Pepper Penne Recipe

Prep: 40 min. Bake: 30 min.

Yield: 10 Servings

40 30 70

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups 2% milk
2 jars (7 ounces each) roasted sweet red peppers, drained and chopped
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, saute chicken in 1 teaspoon oil until no longer pink. Remove from the skillet. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms in remaining oil until tender.
In a Dutch oven, saute garlic in butter for 1 minute. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the red peppers, mozzarella and provolone cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, mushrooms and chicken.
Drain pasta; stir into sauce. Divide between two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Sprinkle each with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until bubbly, stirring once. Yield: 2 casseroles (5 servings each).

Nutritional Facts 1-1/3 cups equals 534 calories, 21 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 87 mg cholesterol, 1,002 mg sodium, 47 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 37 g protein.

Originally published as Three-Cheese & Pepper Penne in Simple & Delicious April/May 2011, p33

Shred and Freeze Cheese

It’s usually cheaper to buy cheese in blocks than in shredded form. So I purchase large quantities of cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella, then shred them myself in my food processor. I store the shredded cheese in the freezer in heavy-duty resealable plastic bags, so I have it at my fingertips whenever it’s needed. —Evelyn O., Parma, Ohio

Full-Bodied White Wine

Enjoy this recipe with a full-bodied white wine such as Chardonnay or Viognier.

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Three-Cheese & Pepper Penne

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Reviewed on Oct. 14, 2012 by ClarinetsBlow_10

Everything goes together to make a great comfort food dish. A great cheesy pasta. However, adding more butter or some kind of oil might be beneficial because the cheese kind of hardened and got rubbery after a while.

Reviewed on Apr. 03, 2012 by ilka896

Pretty good but nothing special

Reviewed on Feb. 09, 2012 by Katielabonte

I did not like this recipe, as soon as I added the cheese the sauce fell apart. It was NOT good at all!! I wasted my time on this recipe . My advice is to use less cheese.

Reviewed on Aug. 19, 2011 by jamiles

This has quickly become a family favorite....it is my 18 year old son's favorite. I use Kraft Italian blend for the mozarella provolone mix since I don't care to grate provolone. I am an accomplished cook and found the prep time to be too little (unless you use multiple pans and buy your mushrooms already sliced). The time is worth it. Save your calories from another meal to eat this!!