Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Tortellini with Spinach and Parmesan Cream Sauce





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... I've been out of commission for most of the day. My head feels like a watermelon and I suspect the odds of my winning the day's Miss Congeniality contest are nil. It's nothing serious, just a nasty summer cold and medication that has given me sleeping sickness. The Silver Fox, bless him, made dinner tonight, and that proves two things. He is, of course, a great guy, but it also speaks volumes about how easy this dish is to prepare. The recipe comes from the Taste of Home site and it was perfect for our appetites tonight. He pretty much followed their recipe, but used fresh basil in place of dry and replaced the heavy cream with a non-fat half and half. After the fact, we both think the dish also could use less spinach. Half the frozen block would be plenty and 1 pound of wilted fresh baby leaves would be even better. I suspect that when made with a full compliment of heavy cream, this dish rivals the richness of an Alfredo sauce. It nice to have recipes like this in the hopper for insanely busy days. They are fast and delicious, and, if you can get past all that heavy cream, you can have dinner on the table in minutes. This recipe will not be to all tastes, but it is definitely worth a try. Here's how the dish is made.

Tortellini with Spinach and Parmesan Cream Sauce ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Additional grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

1) Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, spinach, basil, salt and pepper.
2) Cook and stir over medium heat until liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream and cheese. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.
3) Drain tortellini; toss with sauce. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Yield: 6 servings










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27 comments :

Alicia Foodycat said...

Hope you feel better soon! The fresh basil sounds like a much better idea to me.

Veronica Miller said...

What a man! So happy he is taking care of you while you're not feeling well. Feel better soon! And you should with yummy food like this! :)

Coleens Recipes said...

What a pefect-quick dinner, sounds delicious.

Lynn said...

Sounds like a nice quick dinner! Hope you feel better soon Mary:@)

Ana Regalado said...

That pasta looks delicious ! Great job , Silver Fox ! lol Hope you'll feel better soon , Mary !

From the Kitchen said...

This sounds like the perfect comfort food for a chief cook who is under the weather. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Best,
Bonnie

pam said...

I hope you are feeling better! I adore dishes like this. Packaged tortellini is one of my favorite things to have stashed in my freezer.

Salsa Verde said...

Hi Mary,
What a great and delicious recipe. I love all kids of pasta and your recipe is absolutely fabulous!
heers and hope you have a fantastic day,
Lia.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

It sounds so amazing, and perfect for those quick after work days.

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, hope you get better soon. But wow, what a great guy the Silver Fox is for sure. Chris would have just ordered pizza!! lol

Lynda said...

So sorry you are under the weather Mary-hope you sleep it off quickly!
How nice that your husband will cook for you! And it is a real tasty looking dish. Pasta makes everything better I think.

Vicki Bensinger said...

I hope you feel better. There's nothing worse than a headache. I have to say though I'm impressed your hubby took the time to read a recipe. I've never seen my husband so much as look at a cookbook.

The dish sounds quite tasty. Kudos to your hubby and I hope you're on the mend soon.

tender b. said...

Tortellini is my favorite pasta. Pairing it with spinach and parmesan is a win.

Bites from life with the barking lot said...

What a great fellow! Hope you feel better Mary. Looks delish.

June said...

This looks delicious and I love the idea of replacing the heavy cream with half and half. Silver Fox isn't just thoughtful, he's smart too! Hope you feel better soon Mary!

Susan..... said...

Aren't summer colds the worst?!?! Wouldn't wish them on anyone, especially someone I like.
Hope you feel better and does the Silver Fox do take-out?

David said...

Mary, My problem is that I can get by the heavy cream... Bring it on!! Thanks for this quick and easy recipe. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Tricia @ saving room for dessert said...

Parmesan cream sauce - sounds pretty perfect to me! I'm with you on the fresh spinach. It probably would make all the difference. Hope you feel better soon :)

teresa said...

how nice to have your guy fill in for you! it looks like he did a great job, what a lovely dish! i hope you're feeling better soon!

Ellen B Cookery said...

This looks so delicious! I love these kinds of recipes! Great for dinner with the family or entertaining!

Priya Suresh said...

Prefect for my tonite's dinner,irresistible.

Joanne said...

I hope you're feeling better!! This dish sounds utterly delicious.

JG said...

That's great the Silver Fox stepped in ready to make dinner..very nice! :) The tortellini looks delicious. Mary, hope you feel better soon.
~Judy

Lea Ann (Cooking on the Ranch) said...

All colds are annoying, but Summer colds are just the worst. Get better soon. I've got some cheese tortellini in the freezer, I must give this a try. Sounds delicious.

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

Once upon a time, as a Northern Italian, I was taught that tortellini in a cream sauce was a sin . . . not since I savored my first bite in the Historic Italian "Hill" of St. Louis where I once lived. I love my tortellini in cream sauces such as this as an indulgence now!

Great post!

Erica said...

What a delicious and simple meal,Mary! I am printing this one for tonight!

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

Nothing like a beautiful bowl of Italian comfort food, tortellini in a cream sauce to help overcome a bad cold anytime of the year!

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