Make Ahead Tomato Basil Tortellini Bake Food

SUE'S SPICY TOMATO BASIL TORTELLINI

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain., Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; saute until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan. , In the same pan, add onion, habanero pepper, garlic and the remaining Italian seasoning and oil; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook and stir until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cream; bring to a boil. Add tortellini, chicken and cheese; heat through. Top with basil to serve.

TOMATO BASIL TORTELLINI SOUP

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 6- or 7-qt. slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, broth, sugar, basil and bay leaf. Cook, covered, on low until vegetables are tender, 6-7 hours., Stir in tortellini. Cook, covered, on high 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in cream until heated through. Discard bay leaf. Serve with Parmesan cheese and basil. Freeze option: Before stirring in half-and-half, cool soup and freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add half-and-half as directed.

TOMATO, BASIL AND CHEESE BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt the water. Add small shell pasta and cook the pasta to al dente doneness which means that the pasta will still have a bite to it or be a little chewy. The pasta will soak up more juice and keep on cooking after we drain it, so we need it to be a little under cooked. The shells will probably cook about 9 or 10 minutes.
• Preheat a deep, big skillet or a medium sauce pot over medium heat.
• Place garlic on the cutting board and place the flat of your knife on top of each clove. Carefully give the garlic a whack with the palm of your hand to separate the cloves from the skins. Throw out the skins and chop up the garlic. Remember to keep your fingers curled under and the edge of your sharp, chef's knife tilted slightly away from your body.
• Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan by pouring a slow stream of it twice-around-the-pan. This will be about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Do not let the oil pour out too fast. You are looking for a slow, steady stream. Add the garlic to the oil. To chop the onion, cut the ends off and cut the whole onion down the center. Wrap half and save it. Cut the other half into thin slices then twist the slices a quarter turn and chop them again. Hold the tip of knife on the cutting board and lift the back of the knife up and down over the onion to make the pieces really small. Add the chopped up onion to the garlic and oil. Cook, stirring a lot, 5 minutes until the onions are mushy and look cooked.
• Add the tomatoes to the onions and stir. When the tomatoes come to a bubble, reduce the heat under the sauce to low. Stir in basil pieces to wilt them. Season the sauce with salt and peppe, to your taste.
• Preheat your broiler to high and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• Drain pasta shells. Add them to a flameproof casserole dish. Add pesto sauce, 1 cup of ricotta cheese and a handful of grated Parmigiano, too. Stir carefully and coat the hot pasta with the pesto and cheeses. Pour the hot tomato and basil sauce over the pasta, as much as you like. You can always serve a little extra at the table, to pass around. Shred up some mozzarella cheese with a grater and scatter it over the pasta. Add a final sprinkle of Parmigiano to the mozzarella as well. Place the casserole under the broiler in the middle of oven, 10 to 12 inches from the heat. Let the cheese melt and bubble on top, 3 to 5 minutes.

MAKE-AHEAD TOMATO BASIL TORTELLINI BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt
• and adding peas for the last minute of pasta cooking drain.
• Mix all remaining ingredients except shredded cheese in saucepan.Return pasta to pan; mix lightly.
• Spoon into 9-inch square baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with shredded cheese.
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze up to 3 months.Refrigerate overnight to thaw.
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Remove plastic wrap from baking dish; cover with foil. Bake 1 hour or until heated through, uncovering after 45 min.