Turkey Breast Tenderloin with lemon butter garlic sauce pasta and sweet corn!
Making sure that my family is healthy and happy is my number one priority, which it should be! I may not always have the time to make a full meal like I want to but when I do I try to make sure that it is balanced and healthy while staying tasty. Tonight, my family and I will be eating a turkey breast tenderloin, rotisserie flavor, made in my slow cooker and my lemon butter garlic sauce pasta with a side of sweet corn.
The Turkey!
This meal is relatively easy to prepare and requires little effort but it packs a lot of flavor! The turkey breast tenderloin can be cooked in the oven in a covered roasting pan. This method would require some liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the turkey from sticking or burning. It will also aid in the roasting process. I recommend using water or chicken stock, about half a cup or more depending on the size of the roasting pan. This turkey roast is packaged covered in a marinade that should also be dumped into the roasting pan.
However, I prefer to use my slow cooker which will result in a juicier turkey roast. The process is relatively the same either way.
I begin by spraying my slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray and turning it to the low setting. I would then open the turkey package and empty the entire contents into the slow cooker. If the marinade doesn’t cover the bottom of the insert then I will add about half a cup of water or chicken stock until the bottom of the insert is covered.
I would then add any additional seasonings that I think it may need, secure the lid on top to cover the slow cooker and let be for about 3 hours.
The Pasta!
The pasta itself is so easy, even a beginner can do it! There are usually specific instructions listed on the box, so follow those when making this part of the meal. However, it is likely similar to the following.
Choose a large pot and fill about halfway with water. Begin by bringing the water to a boil on the stovetop. Once boiling, add some salt and a little oil to the water, add the pasta, stir and allow to boil until pasta is al dente and tender.
Drain the pasta into a colander.
The Sauce!
This is one recipe that I make a little differently each time, but this is generally the recipe I use. Make the sauce while the water and pasta are boiling in the large pot. The side should be made in a medium saucepan.
- 1 stick of butter
- 3 or more garlic cloves (depending on how much you love garlic)
- A couple of pinches of parsley flakes
- Lemon juice (fresh is best)
- Salt to taste
Begin by melting the butter in the saucepan on medium-low heat. If the pan is too hot the contents will brown and burn. Chop the garlic cloves into small bits while the butter is melting. Reduce the heat a bit and add the chopped garlic. Stir and cook until the garlic pieces are tender. Be careful not to brown it burn them.
Remove any milk solids that may rise to the surface with a spoon and discard. Add in your lemon juice and your parsley flakes.
Serve over meat vegetables, or in this case, pasta!
The Vegetable!
The vegetable side could be anything you have on hand or your own preference. I decided to pair this meal with sweet corn. The corn is frozen, so I begin by dumping it into a saucepan and add just enough water to cover all of the kernels. I then allow the water and corn to heat through. Once hot and cooked through, I drain the remaining water into the sink and stirring in a tablespoon or two of butter, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
This easy meal is both busy, weeknight-friendly and healthy in nearly all aspects. If you wish to make it healthier then I suggest using whole wheat or whole grain pasta and cutting back the amount of butter in the sauce. The rest of the sauce ingredients will need to be adjusted as well.
