BACON Baked Vegetable Tortellini!

Happy Monday all!  It’s not too often that I make a dish that I think to myself, OMG, this might be the BEST THING I’VE EVER MADE!  Sometimes I think that because well I am THAT hungry, but, tonight, dinner really was phenomenal.  A little bacon goes a long with with a rich, creamy cheese sauce that gets baked together with little puffy cheesy tortellini pillows and asparagus.  OK….I am getting ahead of myself…..back ~ tracking now

Thanks so much for your comments on my last post and for sharing your menus.  You all instantly popped me out of my “I don’t know what to make funk” with all that deliciousness.

This morning I was up bright and early to get in my 30 minute C25K treadmill workout.

Post workout I had a “fried” egg on one slice of TJ’s FF Multi-Grain Bread topped with 1 tsp whipped butter and 2 slices TJ’s Peppered Turkey Bacon. (6 points+)

Doesn’t my Egg look like a rubber egg? It was good the BEST rubber egg I’ve ever had though  

Super sweet watermelon ~ I have been getting the BEST watermelons at Sam’s Club of all places.  They are sweet just like they are in the summer.

MOCK DIRTY LATTE! Hot Chocolate plus Coffee (2 points+)

Lunch involved a deliciously easy salad and what might be my favorite new combo for the salty, sweet, crunchy spiciness of it all.

* Organic Mixed Greens with a sprinkle of organic shredded carrots

* Mini sweet pepper

* 1 Tbsp BBQ Pistachios (1 points+)

* 1 tsp cranberries (0 points+)

* 1 Tbsp TJ’s LF Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (1 points+)

I couldn’t decide what to have with my salad but I knew I needed something with protein.  After some rummaging, I came across my bag of 1 Points+ Tiny Turkey Tacos! 

I had 8 with a bunch of Salsa Fresca for dipping for 8 points+.

After lunch I had a surprise package arrive from Shannon!  She knew I was drooling over her Mini Cinnamon Donuts enough that I was pondering buying this pan. 

Thank you Shannon ~ you are too sweet for sending it to me….I can’t wait to bake up some donuts!

Dinner tonight involved the colorful tortellini wee bought this weekend at Sam’s Club.  It comes as a 2 pack (19 oz each).

7 Points+ per cup and a pretty decent ingredient list.

I LOVE pasta dishes with BACON and mushrooms so I knew I was including those two things.  I decided to venture out into a “healthy” cheese sauce versus my usual red or olive oil sauces.  I picked asparagus as my vegetable to “bulk” up my serving and to visually make it look like more.

I took a million pictures, but, I promise this is super easy to make.  It’s rich, decadent, creamy, bacon-y (yes it’s a word!) good.

BACON Baked Vegetable Tortellini!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 small onion, diced medium
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper to Taste
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 19 ounces cheese tortellini
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
• 1/2 lb asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Heat broiler, with rack in top position.   Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes then placing in an ice cold bath to stop the cooking process.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Sauté the mushrooms in a nonstick pan with nonstick spray over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

3.  In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Pour off all the bacon grease in the pan adding back 1 Tbsp.  You could use olive oil if you do not want to add back the bacon grease.

4.  Add onion, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to pan and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.

5.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly making sure to scrap the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.. Add tortellini and bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer; cook, stirring often, until liquid has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bacon and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Fold in mushrooms and asparagus.

6.  Transfer to a 2-quart broiler proof baking dish and top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Broil until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Makes 6 servings, 11 points+ each

Nutritional Information Per Serving based on 6 servings

STEP-BY-STEP

I find in recipes that cook quickly, it is easiest to “prep” all your ingredients first.

Chop your bacon

Chop your garlic, onion and veggies.

Blanch your asparagus by adding to boiling water for 2 minutes.

Then, drain and place in an ice cold water bath to stop the cooking.

Saute your mushrooms in nonstick spray ~ garlic salt and black pepper is optional.

In a large stock pot, brown your bacon until crispy over medium heat.

Use a slotted spoon to remove.

Drain off bacon grease and add back 1 Tbsp.  Add onion, garlic, crush red pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper cooking until softened, about 4 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds.

Whisk in milk making sure you scrap the bottom bits of bacon off the bottom to get all the flavor.

Add tortellini and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook until sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of parmesan and bacon.

Fold in mushrooms and asparagus.

Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.  You could refrigerate at this point to bake the next day.

Broil for 3-5 minutes until the top browns.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, divide into 6 servings and dig in!

Serve with a simple side salad topped for the complete meal.

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Simple, Delicious, 1 Points+ Sesame Cucumber Salad ~ Click HERE to check it out!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!

* If you are a VITATOP FAN ~ Head on over to Shannon’s for your chance to win an entire CASE of Vitatops.  Click HERE to enter.

Q’s

What is the BEST way you have ever eaten bacon?

It can be used in a recipe or eaten straight up (chocolate dipped or in maple syrup) ~ you name it.  I know I am not the ONLY bacon freak around here so spill it .

Night all!