Gluten Free Sun-Dried Tomato Creamy Baked Penne

This recipe is one I invented myself.  I’m quite proud of that fact because though I make up recipes often, this one is far superior to all of them.  I really need to make it again soon, it was delicious!


My original plan was to make this recipe from Martha Stewart, but I couldn’t find oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for a good price (there was no way I was going to spend over $5 for the jar I did find).  What I did find was a jar of sun-dried tomato pesto, so I decided to work with that.  I got it at Walmart for around $3. 


I also got the gluten free penne pasta I used from Walmart.  I really like the Heartland brand.  I can’t remember the price on it, but I think it was probably around $3 as well and I didn’t use the whole thing (I made my family a separate dish with gluten-filled pasta). 
I didn’t measure exactly how much of some of the ingredients I put in, like pasta and cheese.  Sorry.  Next time I make it I’ll measure it out.  The sauce recipe made 3/4 bag of the Heartland pasta plus enough gluten-filled pasta to fill a regular sized casserole dish for my family, so if you’re doing just gluten free either half the recipe or use around 2 bags of the gluten free penne.
Now for the recipe:

Gluten Free
Sun-Dried Tomato Creamy Baked Penne

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbl butter (plus more for baking dish)
• salt and pepper
• gluten free penne pasta, cooked al dente
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups whole milk
• 1 jar sun-dried tomato pesto
• grated mozzarella cheese (1 1/2 - 2 cups)
• grated parmesan cheese
• optional:  chicken, cooked w/salt and pepper and diced
• optional:  10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Butter 2 shallow baking dishes.
2. Cook noodles and chicken if haven’t already.
3. In big pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk some of the cold milk in with the cornstarch until you get a smooth consistency, then add to butter and continue whisking for at least 1 minute (don’t stop or the cornstarch will clump).  Slowly add the rest of the milk while whisking.  Add garlic. 
4. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently.  Add mushrooms and pesto.  Whisk and cook 1 minute.
5. Add chicken and pasta to baking dish.  Pour sauce over it and mix.  Add mozzarella cheese.
6. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese.
7. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
8. Enjoy!

 
I've linked this over at Gluten-Free Wednesdays at the Gluten Free Homemaker.