All the cold weather here in Atlanta makes me long for comfort food, but you can only eat so much pot roast and chili although we have had some great Southwestern Black Bean Chili. To the rescue is this delicious pasta casserole with garden vegetables and chicken. I love the sauce made with chicken broth, oregano, flour and other spices. Of course, you know I love sauces. I also like using low-fat cream cheese without affecting the taste or texture. This dish is so colorful with the cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas. See below for difference between sugar snap peas and snow peas. If you don’t like these particular vegetables use ones you do like. I think this recipe is a good starting place for lots of variations of vegetables and even different filled Tortellini’s. What would you and your family like? Leave me a comment I would love to see what combinations you come up with. Let’s eat our veggies!!!
Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas
Prepare to be confused till you are not-confused!!!
There are generally 3 types of green peas. The one we know best is the Garden Pea, probably one of the first things you ate as a child. Then the Snow Pea, used in Chinese food and the Sugar Snap Pea which is a combination of both developed by Calvin Lamborn in 1979.
Garden Peas – the ones of “eat your peas and carrots”. Their pods are rounded and full of large peas. Their pods are not edible; must be shelled and then the peas can be eaten raw or cooked.
Snow Peas – Chinese Peas —Their pods are edible and are flat, wide, flexible and bend easily. They are not shelled, they are eaten whole, raw or cooked. The peas are very small and appear as tiny bumps that can be seen through the thin skin. They are most often used in Chinese stir-fry dishes.
Sugar Snap Peas – the combination of Garden Peas and Snow Peas –Their pods are edible; they do not need to be shelled but can be. The peas are large and sweet and can be eaten raw or cooked. Their shape is similar to a traditional garden pea pod fat and rounded.
The bottom line is you can use either Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas in this recipe. I prefer Sugar Snap Peas, but hey you may want roasted broccoli now that sounds good!
Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake with Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the tortellini in boiling water
- Add sliced carrots during the last 5 minutes and the sugar peas during the last 1 minute; then drain
- Sauté the chicken and mushrooms in butter in a skillet for 5 minutes until done, then remove from pan.
- Whisk chicken broth, flour, oregano, garlic salt and pepper with milk in the skillet. Cook until bubbly, stir in the cream cheese until smooth, and remove from heat and add splash of lemon juice
- Toss the tortellini, vegetables, chicken, and sauce together.
- Transfer to a 13X9 inch baking dish
- Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, uncover, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
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