Penne & Turkey(meat)balls

I love pasta & meatballs, and decided to switch and lighten things up a bit. I have never cooked with ground turkey, so I gave it a try. The meatballs turned out great, they were moist & flavorful, nothing was sacrificed because of substituting turkey for beef. I'll definitely be adding ground turkey to my meals...I'm thinking my next venture will be turkey burgers....

Simple Basil Tomato Sauce

1 can of whole tomatoes, crushed by hand, with juices

15 oz tomato sauce

1/2 cup Merlot

6 oz tomato paste

salt & pepper to taste

1/8 tsp red peeper flakes

pinch of sugar

2 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp dried Italian herbs

bunch of fresh basil, torn by hand (maybe 12 leaves)

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic and cook till tender. Add tomato paste and cook for a minute.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. I served on top of Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Rigate.

Turkey(meat)balls

1 lb ground turkey (I used 93/7 fat content)

1/3 cup onion, finely diced

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 and spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix ingredients and form into 1 1/2-2 inch equal sized meatballs.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, turning a few of times so the sides cook evenly. Remove and add to the sauce and simmer for 40 minutes.