Friday, September 18, 2009

Tortellini Bake

This post was originally posted in July but I am re-posting it for Kelly's Korner: Show Us Your Life: Dinner Recipe Edition because it is my all time favourite dinner recipe!

I was looking through my recipe box the other day and pulling out some of our old time favourites. Lately I've been so interested in trying new recipes that I have forgotten about the tried and true ones. So, tonight I made my favourite pasta dish. I started making this one when we first got married and it is delicious and very filling.

Tortellini Bake
1/2 cup chopped onion
A drizzle of EVOO
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups Alfredo sauce (or one jar)**
1 package frozen tortellini (I use cheese filled)
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 cup frozen peas and/or asparagus (We love it best with asparagus or a combo of the two but sometimes asparagus just isn't in the budget and so peas it is)
Pepper

Topping:
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 tbsp butter
1 cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400. Over medium heat, cook onion and garlic, drizzled in EVOO for 2-3 minutes, until onion is tender.

2. Stir in Alfredo sauce, tortellini, chicken, milk, water and peas/asparagus.

3. Heat mixture until it comes to a gentle boil (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally. Remove from heat.
4. In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Stir in bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

5. Transfer pasta mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.

6. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

7. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are bubbly.

Serves 4-6. Serve with a green vegetable (such as roasted broccoli) or salad and some crusty bread (such as cheesy garlic french bread). If you are looking for a vegetarian recipe, simply omit the chicken and add more veggies!

** Tonight was the first time I've made this dish with homemade Alfredo sauce, usually I used a jar from the grocery store. Let me just say, it was SO worth the extra few minutes it took to make the sauce. Normally, this dish is so rich, almost too rich. But, since I make the homemade sauce with milk rather than cream, it really cuts on the richness. While I would normally think Alfredo would not be as good with milk as with cream, in this case, I think it actually improved the overall taste of the dish.

12 comments:

  1. Ok, yum! This is like my dream in a casserole dish. I love all of the ingredients! Alfredo is my favorite sauce and I'm always looking for ways to use it that don't include fettuccine noodles because my husband hates them. I'm going to have to try this. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. I am totally trying this dish, I love baked pasta :)

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  3. I will try this! I like the idea of the Alfredo sauce.... I make a similar dish when I don't have time to do dinner, and make ahead :)

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  4. This looks really good. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us. Have a wonderful day.

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  5. I'm loving reading through everyone's recipes!

    Blog Hoppin'
    Deborah

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  6. That would be a huge hit in my house :)

    Stopping by via the blog hop to check out your recipe.
    http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/07/random-blurbs-and-smores.html

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  7. Oh yummy! I'm getting so many great ideas from all these blogs!! Thanks for sharing I will have to try this.

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  8. What a cute blog and this sounds yummy....Had a free night to blog hop. Hope you will stop by new Christmas blog ...There is a great giveaway that I will draw for on Oct 1st and all you need to do to enter is comment. http://grammyababychangeseverything.blogspot.com

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  9. again - I have to add this one to my list :) you rock.

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  10. I made this recipe this week. It was a hit! Delish!

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  11. This was totally delicious. Thanks for sharing it.

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  12. Looks delicious!! I'm adding this to my recipes.

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