Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortelini (find them in the dry pasta isle) (I used Sam's refrigerator brand)
4 oz bacon or pancetta, (about 4 strips bacon)* (I omitted the bacon and used 2 Tbl butter to make the rue)
3 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press or finely minced
2 Tbs flour
2 C milk
¾ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dry basil (I used Herbs de Province)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy)
1 medium lemon
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
¾ C grated mozzarella cheese, divided
¾ C grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

Place bacon in a medium sized skillet on the stove-top at medium-high heat.  Cook until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.  Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest.  Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute.  Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth.  Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.

While sauce is heating, use a microplane grater or a fine-holed cheese grater to zest lemon.  Then cut lemon in half and remove juice.  Add 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to sauce.  Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Drain tortellini and place back in stock pot.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture.  Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Add sauce and gently stir to combine.  Place pasta mixture in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and also crumbled bacon.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout.  Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6

Blumenkohlsuppe (Cauliflower Soup)- Mylinda

• ½ head cauliflower
• ¾ L water/ meat broth
• 3T butter
• 2T flour
• ¼ L heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks
• salt and pepper 
  
  
  • cut the cauliflower in little pieces and boil for 5 min in broth. Melt the butter, add flour and immediately add the broth. Mix well and let boil for 1 min. Take pot off the stove and add the egg yolks and cream. Heat again for one min. then season with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh Baguette.

Tortellini Soup- Mylinda

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1T butter
• 2 (13 ¾ oz) cans chicken or beef broth (I use 4C chicken broth)
• 1 8oz pkg. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini thawed
• 1 10oz pkg. fresh or frozen spinach thawed
• 1 16oz can stewed tomatoes undrained coarsely chopped
• fresh grated parmesan cheese 
  
  
  • In large saucepan over med-high heat, cook and stir garlic in butter for 2-3 min. Add broth and tortellini; heat to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 min. Add spinach and tomatoes; simmer an additional 5 min. Serve topped with cheese.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Hot Fudge Sauce
This makes a really yummy sauce.  It is kind of chewy when put on ice cream.  I have tried a few versions and this is my favorite so far.

*Makes about 4 cups of sauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (weird- but it turned out great)
4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided- (I just used semisweet chips)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a large, heavy saucepan. Whisk in the water until well blended. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, corn syrup, vinegar and 2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate.
Return to medium-high heat and boil. Whisk frequently until the bubbles become small and the syrup is thick and sticky, 5-7 minutes (or 225 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from the heat and add the rest of the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Serve at once, or let cool. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Reheat over low heat or in the microwave on 50% power.
Recipe Source: from Joy of Cooking

Vegetable Soup- Mylinda's all time favorite soup on earth

VEGETABLE SOUP-Mylinda's all time favorite soup on earth

• 2qt water
• 8 beef bullion cubes
• 5 med potatoes cut into bite size pieces
• 2C chopped carrots
• 1C chopped celery
• 1C chopped onion
• 2t Worcestershire sauce
• 2t Soy sauce
• 1t garlic salt
• ¼ t oregano
• ¼ C flour dissolved in 1C water 
  
  • Cook for about 30 min.
  • I also like to brown some beef chunks and use a bit more thickening to turn this into beef stew but by favorite is just exactly like it is with a nice loaf of fresh baked bread and some butter. MMMMM!!!!!

Split Pea Soup- Sara

• 2 ¼ cups dried split peas
• 2 quarts of water
• 1 ½ pounds ham bone
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 pinch dried marjoram
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 potato diced
  
  
  
  • In large stock pot, cover peas with 2 quarts of water and soak over night. If you need a faster method, simmer the peas gently for 2 minutes and then soak for 1 hour. Once peas are soaked, add ham bone, onion, salt, pepper, and marjoram. Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 1 and ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bone, cut off meat, dice and return meat to the soup. Add celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook slowly, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

California Vegetarian Chili- Sara

• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp vinegrette salad dressing (or 2 T. red wine vinegar)
• 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 can each (all drained): 
  
  • black beans, small white beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans.
• Heat oil in large (6 qt.) kettle. Add garlic and pepper.
• Saute over medium heat until veggies are crisp-tender.
• Add all other ingredients. Stir well. Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes or longer. Spoon into bowls.
• Garnish with any or all of the following: shredded cheddar cheese, avocados, sour cream, diced red onions. Great over rice or in burritos.

Easy Minestrone- Sara

EASY MINESTRONE-Sara

• ¼ cup butter
• 10 oz. Frozen peas
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 T. parsley
• 1 t. basil
• 2 cups water
  • Combine in large pot. Cook 10 minutes
• 2-14 oz cans diced Italian tomatoes
• 7 t. chicken bullion granules
• 6 cups water
• 1 can tomato soup (condensed)
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 small zuccini sliced
• 2-19 oz. cans red kidney beans
• ½-1 cup small shells
  • Add these to pot. Cook on medium/low for 20 minutes (until pasta is tender).
  • All veggies are optional and you can add different ones, too. Sprinkle with Parmesan to serve.

All Cans Tortilla Soup- Sara

• 1 can chunk chicken (or 1-2 cups cooked, diced chicken)
  1 can black beans (drained)
  1 can chicken broth
  1 can corn (drained)
  1 can refried beans
  1 cup salsa
  1 cup shredded cheese
  • Pour all ingredients except cheese in a pot. Heat until boiling, then cook on low for 10 minutes. Add the cheese until melted. Serve with a dab of sour cream and tortilla chips. (can be adapted for food storage as well)

Chicken and Dumplings- Sara

• 3 lbs. of breasts and thighs
• 3 small carrots chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• Salt (1 ½ tsp)
• Pepper to taste
• 4 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh parsley
• Thyme 1 tsp
  • Boil-25 min—35 min. Remove chicken. Skin and bone the chicken (set aside). Reduce the broth a little by boiling soup a few minutes longer. Remove bay leaves.
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup milk
  • Mix and spoon into soup. Cover. After 5 minutes, turn over dumplings. 5 more minutes, then add chicken. Heat 2-3 more minutes.
  • **I actually prefer the Bisquick dumplings recipe (on the box), but if you don't have Bisquick on hand, this dumpling recipe is okay. The soup is great though!