Baked Cheesy Caprese Pasta

#FlashbackFriday with one of my favorite must make summer vegetarian pasta recipe. I love these cheesy, baked tomatoes.

Happy Friday all!  There is just something about summer that makes me feel like I cannot get enough of all the super sweet fruits and crunchy vegetables.  I was totally thinking this morning that I could eat a big bowl of fruit like this all summer long and never get tired of it.

I resisted the urge to eat Pigs in a Blanket and went with just a Morning Star Maple Veggie Sausage (2 points+).

Mid morning The Husband brought me a Venti Iced Dirty Coconut Coffee ~ (Iced Coffee with 1 pump coconut and 1 pump mocha with a splash of 1/2 & 1/2) ~ 2 points+.

On our way back from my appointment, we stopped by Vasquez for spicy crunchy chicken tacos!

It’s been too long since we have had these ~ I forgot how amazing that homemade crunchy corn tortilla is with their spicy hot chicken. (10 points+).

I really wish I could take credit for tonight’s dinner because it is absolutely amazing. If you are a fan of caprese pasta or cheesy roasted tomatoes, then, you have to try it!

I saw this recipe for Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes that I knew I had to make.

Preheat your oven to broil and get ready to make this 15 minute dinner.

While your Barilla Plus Pasta cooks according to the packaged directions, prep all the pasta toppers.

You start out by slicing 3 big tomatoes and sprinkle them with sea salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle all the tomatoes evenly with 8 oz part skim mozzarella and 1/4 cup shaved parmesan.

Broil for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is completely golden and bubbly.  It seriously took everything in me to not scoop one off the plate and eat it right there!

Roughly chop up about a cup of basil (this is from our garden!)

Heat the olive oil with garlic over medium heat with crushed red pepper flakes for 1-2 minutes or until slightly fragrant.  This is an important step so you do not end up eating raw garlic.

Pour your spicy garlic olive oil over the cooked pasta.

Toss with almost all of the basil (reserving a little for topping), then, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.

“Build” your cheesy baked caprese pasta bowl by placing 1 cup or 2 oz of the cooked pasta in a large bowl.

Add 2 huge cheesy baked tomatoes and sprinkle with the remaining basil and a few shaved parmesan flakes.

The one change I made was to make this 6 servings versus 4 for 10 points+ or Smartpoints each. Use less pasta and save on points.

This recipe is completely delicious the way it is, however, I think finishing with a balsamic drizzle would put it over the top phenomenal!

This was totally worth heating up the house on a warm summer day for a few minutes.

The sweet tomatoes literally melt into the pasta and that cheesy topping is better than cheese on pizza.  You get a little heat from the crush red pepper flakes and garlic.

We have a pretty full weekend planned and I cannot wait for it to begin.

Night all!