Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

Here's a pantry raid meal for you that tastes much more sophisticated than a typical semi-homemade dinner. I got it from www.ourbestbites.com a favorite recipe/craft site.

12 oz bag tortellini, prepared according to package (i didn't have dry tortellini on hand so i used
some frozen ravioli that i had)
4 oz bacon chopped up and cooked (i used leftover easter ham that i had, and just added a bit of oil for the next step since i didn't have the rendered grease)
3 cloves garlic, pressed
(2 Tbsp oil/butter/bacon fat)
2 Tbsp flour
2 C milk
salt
pepper
1 1/2 t dried basil (i used a cube of frozen chopped basil from trader joes)
red pepper flakes
1 lemon, zest & juice
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
3/4 C grated mozzarrella cheese, divided (i used 1 cup cheese total)
3/4 C grated parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350.

Brown bacon to a crisp in a skillet. remove bacon and drain. Reserve 2 Tbsp bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest (or add 2T fat to pan at this point). Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant. Add flour and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with a whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to sa simmer

While sauce is heating, use a grater to zest lemon. Then cut lemon in half and remove juice. Add 2 t zest and 1 T juice to sauce. Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Drain tortellini and place back in pot. Add bacon to pasta. Add spinach, 1/2 cup of each cheese. Add sauce and stir to combine. Place pasta mixture in baking dish and top with remaining cheese.

Cover pan with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melty.

Enjoy!

Bacon Tomato Cups

These are what I made this morning for Easter Brunch. 

8 slices bacon, cooked crisply ( I used Kirkland bacon bits)
4 roma tomatoes
1/2 small onion
6 oz. shredded swiss/baby swiss cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, jack...whatever)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Biscuits (it will say Flaky Layers somewhere on the can)

Preheat oven to 375.  Coarsely chop the bacon, tomato (don't use the seeds) and onion and mix with all the other ingredients except the biscuits.  Set aside.  Pop open the can of biscuits and separate each of the 8 biscuits into 3 thinner biscuits.  (Some may be a little thinner or thicker than others but this is OK)  Use a non-stick mini muffin pan and lay each of the separated biscuits over the mini muffin cup and press down to shape.  Fill each one with the above mixture.  Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.  Makes 24

Baked Oatmeal

I thought I should add something before the year is up. This is my new steal from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I think the main complaint against oatmeal is that it is too mushy.  This takes care of that problem.  It is more like a giant oatmeal cookie.

6 cups oatmeal, either quick or old-fashioned
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I think less could be used)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups milk
4 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with milk and/or fresh fruit.
The recipe can be easily halved and baked in an 8X8-inch pan.