Recipe::. Tortellini Au Gratin

I posted my Italian Mac n Cheese recipe before, which is a family favorite/new baby meal.... but I have to let you know that hubby likes this recipe (Tortellini Au Gratin) even better than the Italian Mac n Cheese. It. Is. Awesome!

I doubled this recipe and then split it in thirds; I froze third, gave third to one of the new moms in my mom group, and kept the last third for dinner.

I (of course) didn't take pictures of my "process" but it's pretty easy. At the end of the meal hubby was raving about it and I asked him "is it blog post worthy?" and he said, "OH YEAH!!". So here you go...

Tortellini Au Gratin

Ingredients
One pound mild or hot Italian sausage

4 tablespoons or more, chopped onion
20-ounce package fresh cheese-filled tortellini (OR half tortellini and half penne... the tortellini is expensive if you are making a lot)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups whipping cream OR half cream/half 2% evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups canned chicken broth
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, divided
¼ cup purchased or homemade pesto
4-ounce jar diced pimiento or roasted peppers, drained
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons fine, dry breadcrumbs

Directions
Remove and discard casing from sausage. Cook sausage in a medium skillet until mostly browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion, cook 3-4 minutes, add garlic and cook an additional minute. Drain well; set aside.


Cook tortellini according to package directions (subtract one minute from time listed Drain well. Set tortellini aside. In a medium bowl, combine whipping cream, chicken broth, ½ cup Parmesan, ¼ cup parsley, pesto, pimiento, and pepper. Add sausage mixture and tortellini to whipping cream mixture; stir to combine.


Place tortellini mixture in a 2-quart baking dish which has been coated with PAM. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons minced parsley, and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan; sprinkle over tortellini. Bake an additional 5 minutes until lightly browned.


Enjoy!

PS... this was dessert! I SLAVED over this... jk. It's Publix cookies (shhhhh) and mint chocolate chip ice cream. I nuked it for about 20 seconds so it was soft and then I scooped ice cream on a cookie. Then I wrapped it in plastic wrap and using my fingers, squished the ice cream and cookie to make a sandwhich. Voila.

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