YUM: Penne with Meat Sauce

Have you ever cooked dinner in the produce section of the grocery store? And I'm not talking a frozen pizza sample on a Saturday morning.

Jordan was working, so I took leftovers to Hy-Vee. I've never noticed it before last week, but there's a microwave sitting on top of one of the refrigerated cases in the produce area. So we grabbed plates, silverware, and trays. Then reheated dinner right under the florescent lighting of the aisle. There’s even a first time for taking your own food to the Hy-Vee restaurant. But hey, I learned that this recipe reheats well.

Penne with Meat Sauce
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients
8 ounces dried penne
1 pound lean ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 14-ounce can whole Italian-style tomatoes, undrained
½ of a 6-ounce can Italian-style tomato paste
¼ cup dry red wine or tomato juice
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup sliced pitted ripe olives
½ cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)
Fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Return pasta to hot pan; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until meat is brown. Drain off fat. In a blender or food processor, combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, sugar, dried oregano, and pepper. Cover and blend until smooth.
3. Stir tomato mixture into meat mixture in skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and olives. Cover and heat through.
4. Sprinkle individual servings with mozzarella cheese. If desired, garnish with oregano leaves.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 339, Total Fat (g) 11, Saturated Fat (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 59, Sodium (mg) 349, Carbohydrate (g) 33, Fiber (g) 3, Protein (g) 24

From Better Homes and Gardens