Tonight's solution: Pasta Alfredo With Turkey
To make the meal: steamed spinach
Today we’re serving up another recipe sent to us by Anne Mellinger-Birdsong, who lives near Emory University in Atlanta. This dish works equally well with high-quality deli ham as with the turkey we’re featuring here.
Mellinger-Birdsong likes to use fresh linguine, angel hair or fettuccine in this dish. Fresh pasta cooks quickly and does a nice job of absorbing the sauce. She occasionally makes double batches, serving half and freezing the rest. She adds a few additional tablespoons of milk to the pasta she’ll be freezing since she finds the noodles tend to soak up liquid as they sit.
Since most everything in this dish is white, you might want to add a little color by garnishing with some chopped parsley. Mellinger-Birdsong turns the same recipe into Pasta Florentine by adding fresh spinach. To stay within the 5:30 Challenge guidelines, we’re suggesting steamed spinach as a side dish.
Virginia-Highland resident and 5:30 Challenge contributor Cheryl Orlansky reminds us that March has been declared National Nutrition Month by the American Dietetic Association. The Georgia chapter is sponsoring a toll-free nutrition hot line 4-7 p.m. March 30 at 1-855-DIET-411 (1-855-343-8411). Registered dietitians will be available to answer your questions about diet and nutrition.
Take the 5:30 Challenge. If you have a great-tasting main-dish recipe that uses no more than five ingredients and can be made in 30 minutes or less, tell us. (Salt, pepper, water and oil for greasing a pan don’t need to be included in the ingredient count.) You also can suggest a side dish if it can be made within the same time. Send recipes with your name, address and phone number to fivethirty@ajc.com.
Pasta Alfredo With Turkey
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
1 (9-ounce) package fresh fettuccine
1/2 (half) cup 2 percent milk, more if needed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 (half) pound deli turkey, cut into 1/2 (half)-inch dice
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, Romano or Asiago
In a large saucepan, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Add butter and milk and stir until butter is melted and coats pasta. Stir in turkey and cheese. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Per serving: 398 calories (percent of calories from fat, 26), 21 grams protein, 52 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 55 milligrams cholesterol, 585 milligrams sodium.
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