So today was "let's be creative with what's in the pantry and refrigerator". Originally I had thought I would grill hamburgers, but when I took the beef and ground turkey out of the freezer the beef had gone bad! I hate that! That left me with one pound of ground turkey. Today it was just the four of us, so I knew a pound was enough, but what would I do with it.
I set the turkey out to thaw and let my mind begin to wander over what we needed (nutritionally speaking) and what we had. I had some spinach fettuccine noodles in the pantry. When I got home from worship, I begin digging around in the vegetable bins. This is where improvisation comes in. I've been told I'm good at it. All I know is sometimes necessity is the mother of invention, and for some reason I enjoy not knowing what I'm doing! LOL!
1 pound ground turkey
2 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 T. minced garlic
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 yellow squash, diced
4 Campari tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 t. basil
salt and pepper to taste
12 oz. spinach fettuccine noodles
olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Heat 2 T. olive oil in large Dutch oven. Add turkey and vegetables and brown meat. Add spices, cover and simmer while pasta boils. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a bowl. Add pasta and cook until tender, 3-5 minutes. Toss meat, vegetables and pasta together with a little more olive oil. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.
I thought it was pretty tasty, although I'd probably prefer sauteed chicken or turkey cutlets to the ground meat, but hey, you work with what you've got!
Happy Eating!
