Hidden Valley Four Cheese Pasta Bake With Spinach And Bacon Rsc
I chose cavatappi pasta for this recipe because the shape is not only fun, but it also helps to hold the sauce and other ingredients better. i selected those particular types of cheese because i feel like they take this recipe up a notch from being an average weeknight dinner to something you might even choose to make for company. I used fully cooked apple-smoked bacon, which i found at trader joe's along with the havarti, gruyere & fontina cheeses. since i used such rich and flavorful cheeses, i chose to use 2% greek yogurt and 2% milk instead of using sour cream and half & half so the recipe wouldn't be laden down with heavy ingredients.
Steps
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt 4 tbsps of butter in a large pan over medium heat.
Add shallots and garlic and saute for 3 minutes , stirring constantly.
Whisk in flour and blend thoroughly.
Slowly add milk , whisking constantly until the mixture is well blended.
Immediately add the yogurt and 1 oz packet of hidden valley original ranch seasoning mix and continue to stir until mixture begins to thicken.
Once mixture is smooth , add the fontina , havarti & gruyere cheeses and blend until the cheese is melted.
Turn off the heat and add the spinach.
Once the spinach is wilted , carefully add in the diced chicken and bacon.
Pour the mixture into a 13 x 9 dish that is coated with cooking spray and use a spatula to spread it evenly.
Combine panko breadcrumbs and 1 / 2 cup of parmesan cheese in a bowl.
Melt 3 tbsps.
Of butter and toss with the panko mixture until thoroughly combined.
Spread mixture evenly on top of the casserole and bake on the middle rack for 25-35 minutes .
Ingredients
hidden valley original ranch seasoning mix, cavatappi pasta, chicken, apple-smoked bacon, baby spinach, garlic cloves, shallots, havarti cheese, fontina cheese, gruyere cheese, parmesan cheese, 2% low-fat milk, low-fat greek yogurt, butter, flour, panko breadcrumbs