Dinner Tonight: Turkey Pasta

First, a confesssion. The picture above is from the last time I made turkey pasta, since I didn't make a pretty plate out of it this time and also didn't have any salad. Second, my mom thinks I'm a little weird for naming this recipe turkey pasta. It is, basically, spaghetti and meat sauce. The difference is that I don't use spaghetti noodles, since I don't like them. I usually use angel hair, but sometimes it's linguine.
I serve with some sort of crusty bread, usually with either garlic or cheese added. Sometimes I make a salad, sometimes I don't have the energy or fresh lettuce to do so.

Turkey Pasta

1/2 lb angel hair pasta
1 lb ground turkey or lean ground beef
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 jar Prego pasta sauce (I prefer the Garlic & Herb flavor since they stopped making the Garlic Supreme which was even better)
1/4 cup red wine, optional (recommended: Riunite Lambrusco - it's cheap, tastes kind of like Kool-aid, is easy to drink and adds a nice sweetness to the sauce)
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan or Italian-cheese blend

Boil pasta until tender. While water is boiling, brown turkey in a sauce pan. Season with red pepper flakes & Italian seasoning. Once meat is brown, drain grease or wipe from pan with paper towels. Add red wine, cook until wine is reduced or fully absorbed into meat. Add pasta sauce. Simmer about 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, I usually add about 1-2 tsps of salt and sometimes more red pepper since we like it fairly spicy. Spoon on top of noodles, top with shredded cheese and enjoy!


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Estimated cost of meal:

Pasta: $.75
Turkey $2
Prego: $1.60
Spices/wine: $.40
Cheese: $.20
Bread: $1

Total: $5.95

Former Life Total: Dinner @ Pizza Hut $18

Leaner Life Savings: $12.05 or 67%!!!