Bacon Ranch Pasta

Every once in awhile, I stumble acroos a recipe that makes me want to shout from the rooftops...."GO MAKE THIS...NOW!". The gem happens to be one of them. We had it for dinner tonight. It's super easy and super yummy. It might not be the healthiest, but it's good. I tried to make it a little healthier with fat free 1/2 and 1/2, whole grain pasta, and peppered turkey bacon. Yummy!

Ranch Pasta with Bacon, Spinach and Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
Olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced
2 cups heavy cream (I used 1 cup cream and 1 cup fat-free 1/2 and 1/2)
1 bag baby spinach
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used peppered turkey bacon
1 lb short cut pasta, cooked according to package directions
Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Combine first 6 ingredients (through dried thyme) in a bowl and mix together. This is your Ranch seasoning. You can also use a packet of pre-made dried seasoning.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in skillet large enough to hold the pasta over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add Ranch seasoning, spinach and tomatoes. Cook until the spinach wilts. Add pasta and cooked bacon and toss to combine. Add grated cheese and taste for seasoning.

Source: Bacon Ranch Pasta