Bacon Ranch Pasta with Spinach & Tomato

Once again, I have found recipe gold on my friend Sarah's blog. I'd seen this recipe awhile back and added it to my to-make list, but hadn't found the right accompaniment yet. I'm not sure how I came to the conclusion that my Tailgate Sliders were that accompaniment, but the day I decided to make them, I saw someone else post about this  pasta dish on our cooking board, and it seemed like a good fit!

The dish already sounded great to me, but I didn't expect it to be so freakin' good!! Like Oh.My.God. good! It made enough that I can eat leftovers or snacks for a few days, so I had some with  pizza a couple of days later, too. Yum yum yum. Thank you Sarah for coming up with such an awesome pasta dish!!

Bacon Ranch Pasta with Spinach & Tomatoes
Source: A Taste of Home Cooking


Ingredients

• 1/2 lb bacon
• 1 lb short cut pasta
• 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
• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, and cook bacon. Allow bacon to cool, then crumble.
2. Combine parsley, pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme in a small bowl. 
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in skillet large enough to hold the pasta over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. 
4. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add seasoning mixture from step 2, spinach and tomatoes. Cook until the spinach wilts. 
5. Add pasta and cooked bacon and toss to combine. Add grated cheese and taste for seasoning.