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I have to admit that pasta dishes are some of my favorites. They are so delicious and statisfyng, but if you work it right they can be pretty easy to make. This is one such dish! There is not too much chopping or prep work to do, but the reward is a dish with great flavor and a variety of textures. It’s so pretty too! Definitely good enough to to serve guests and it would be easy to double and make a large batch.

Tip: I love artichoke hearts!!! They are a great ingredient to add flavor without adding a lot of fat and calories. The type of artichoke hearts you use matters though! The jarred version are usually packed in oil, so these are not the best low-fat choice. The canned version are usually packed in water, so they are low-fat, but I have found the texture of these to be rather tough and woody. In my humble opinion, frozen artichoke hearts are the way to go!!! They still have that wonderful soft, rich texture that you get from fresh cooked artichokes, but they are not packed in oil, so you get the flavor and texture without the added fat or work of cooking and breaking down fresh artichokes.

Baked Rotini in Tomato Sauce with Artichoke Hearts

1 pound Italian seasoned ground turkey

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 box of frozen artichoke hearts, rinsed, thawed and chopped

1 can sliced black olives

1/3 cup red wine

1 –  32 oz can crushed tomatoes in puree

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

16 oz rotini pasta, boiled for 8 minutes

1 cup motzarella cheese, shredded

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put your pasta on to boil and while this is cooking put your ground turkey in a skillet to brown. When meat is almost cooked through, add your onions and bell peppers and continue to cook until meat is cooked and vegetables have softened. In a large pot or bowl, combine pasta, meat with veggies and all othe ingredients except Parmesan cheese. Stir well to mix. Spray a baking pan with non stick pray and transfer pasta/meat mixture to that pan. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Voila! You have a beautful and delicious dinner on your hands!

Enjoy!