Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ever have one of those weeks where you feel so behind no matter how much you try to catch up? Yeah, I'm having one of those weeks. I feel behind with my blogging, with my TV shows (you all know I'm a TV junkie), with reading (I haven't read a new book since school started), with my family, and with my hubby. It doesn't help that he has a new crazy schedule- working every day all day, with only one day off, if he's lucky. The life of a medical student. Sucks.

Moving on!

It's all good. Really. As long as I keep eating pasta, things will come together on their own. Right? Right. I thought so.

If there's one thing you can count on on my blog, it's pasta. I hope you never get sick of it. If you do, go check out these cookies, I guarantee you won't get sick of those. I can't get enough of them.

I found this pasta dish on another fellow blog. Her pictures were fabulous so I knew I had to make it. I'll be honest though; I wasn't all that impressed- at first. It was good, pretty tasty (it is pasta with lots of cheese, duh), but I wasn't blown away until I had the leftovers for lunch the next day. I don't know what happened in my fridge overnight but it was so good. Make it, save it, and devour it. I heard it freezes well too, so make extra for a night when you don't feel like cooking!

Source: adapted from Short Stop
Servings: 3-4

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 box of penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt
pepper
2 heaping tablespoons flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup whole milk
5 ounces baby bella mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup white wine (more to taste)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 13X9 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Turn off heat, gradually stir in Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Stir in white wine. Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with leftover Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Are you a TV junkie? What are you watching?