Holiday Pasta

 If you've been a fan of this blog for more than 5 minutes you know about my deep love affair with pasta. You know I am a carb addict, and will find ways to put a pasta supper on the table any way I can- I don't care what form it is! 

In spite of the fact I could eat pasta every day, it has never been something I have served on a holiday. I know many families who do, and my mother in law served lasagna on Christmas Eve for years. But for me, we eat is so much on a "weeknight basis", I wanted a different meal on the holiday. 

If you do serve pasta as part of your Christmas Eve/Day celebration, today's recipe will make you extra holly jolly. Or maybe the hustle and bustle of the season has you worn out, and you are just trying to get supper on the table during the week and don't want to hear one complaint! This will take care of that too.

Frozen tortellini comes together with Italian sausage, and yes *gasp* jarred Alfredo sauce for a hearty, delicious pasta bake. 

Yes, homemade Alfredo sauce is super easy to make at home, and I stopped buying jarred years ago...if it's the star sauce of the recipe. (Here is my recipe if you've never made it!) What do I mean by that? Simple. If I am making a fettuccine or penne pasta with Alfredo sauce, I'm making it from scratch. But if it's being used inside a recipe, especially a casserole, I find the jarred to be a great help from the store. I especially love the brand they sell at Aldi and it's the only one I buy anymore. 

This is a hearty, filling meal for a cold night or to feed your holiday guests. Especially if you've got Cousin Eddie coming! You know the ones I mean- they come for presents and stay until the New Year! You know you're going to have to feed them 3 meals a day for days!

Pasta can definitely be holiday worthy; and if you're like me and usually don't plan on it, maybe this year it's time for something a little easier, but oh so delectable.

 

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

1 (32 oz.) bag frozen cheese tortellini

1 lb. mild Italian sausage

1 (24 oz.) jar marinara sauce

1 (15 oz.) Alfredo sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 cups shredded Italian five cheese blend

Dried Parsley

Salt and Pepper  

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet brown sausage until no longer pink. Add both sauces, garlic powder and Italian seasoning well. Stir well. Add frozen tortellini and mix. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Add half the tortellini mixture. Top with half shredded cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with parsley. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with nonstick spray. Cover dish and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 additional minutes. 

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck