If I was a superhero (and really- who’s to say I’m not?) my one weakness wouldn’t be some strange element from another planet, or bullets (okay- probably bullets)– but it WOULD be pasta. Whenever there’s any form of pasta in front of me- I just continue to eat it until I can’t move and am rendered useless for the remainder of the day. Add cheese to it and I’m pretty much done for.

A friend, knowing my weakness well, forwarded me this 20 minute recipe for cheesy spinach tortellini- which happens to be my favorite type of pasta- and I ended up clearing an entire afternoon so I could prepare it, eat a serving (or two) and then lay motionless for a few hours until it digested and I could stand up and walk around without needing a long nap, first.

Carb Counters beware- this recipe isn’t for the faint of heart- but if you’re feeling a little indulgent on your “Cheat Day”, I say go big or go home and try your hand at this one!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 20 oz. package Three Cheese Tortellini (or your favorite kind!)
• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 6 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup Cheddar Jack or mozzarella cheese, shredded

OKAY, HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

1. Cooking the package of tortellini according to package instructions.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, oven proof skillet, simmer the cream cheese with chicken or vegetable stock for about 10 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400℉.

4. Add spinach to the cream cheese sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes.

5. Add tortellini, mix everything well and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

6. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 7-10 minutes, until the shredded cheese melts.

7. Serve hot- and enjoy!

This stuff hit the spot. It was really filling, but not in the “I feel sick” way- and that’s coming from someone who ate a pretty good sized portion. The spinach was a nice addition, too- since it broke up the heaviness of all the cheese and tortellini in every spoonful.

If I could make a recommendation, I would flavor this with a little salt and pepper, too. I didn’t do that at first- and while the completed recipe did taste good all on it’s own- I found it needed just a small amount of flavoring to really knock it out of the park. A sprinkle of salt and pepper helped enhance the taste. Just keep that in mind if you make this on your own!

I’ll definitely be cooking up this one again!

xx