Vegetables and Tortellini with Cream Sauce

1. Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler on high heat. Lightly spray a large casserole pan with cooking spray.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and asparagus and cook in the boiling water until tortellini float to the top, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside.

3. Melt butter in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in stock and nutmeg and heat until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Heat until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.

4. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and artichoke hearts. Cook and stir until heated through, about 5 minutes.

5. Combine cooked tortellini-asparagus mixture and spinach mixture in the prepared casserole pan. Mix thoroughly but gently so tortellini don't get mashed. Pour white sauce over the mixture and top with Italian cheese blend.

6. Cook under the broiler until cheese is melted and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Note:

The sauce can be cooked at the same time as the tortellini. You can try to do the spinach at the same time as well, but I find it to be too many things that need my attention at once.