spicy turkey meatballs

Ingredients

3 cups (1-inch) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed
2/3 cups milk
2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 lb. hot Italian pork sausage, casings removed
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago cheese, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add the eggs and stir lightly with a fork to combine.
4. Wash your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pan.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked.
6. Suggested: simmer the meatballs in some marinara sauce if serving with pasta.

* Adapted from Ina Garten

chicken sausage, onion, fennel, and havarti flatbread pizza

Ingredients

3 oz. chicken sausage
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups sweet onion
1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
1 pre-baked pizza crust
3/4 cup shredded Havarti or Gouda cheese
1 tbsp. chopped scallions or chives

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degres F.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage to pan; saute for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally - do not overcook the sausage will become dry. Remove from pan.
3. Add oil to pan. Add onion, fennel, and sugar; cover and cook 10 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
4. Place pizza crust on pizza stone. Top evenly with onion mixture, sausage, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese melts.
5. Sprinkle evenly with chives or scallions.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

sausage, pepper, and mushroom pizza

Ingredients

2 sweet Italian sausage links
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
8 oz. mushrooms (can use shiitake, cremini, portobello or a mixture of those)
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 prepared pizza crust
1/2 cup pizza sauce (I recommend Rao's)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Remove casings from sausages. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble (I like to use a potato masher to crumble the sausage). Add onion, pepper, and mushrooms to pan; saute 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic; saute 1 minute. Place pizza crust on a pizza stone. Spread pizza sauce evenly over crust, leaving a 1/8-inch border. Top evenly with mushroom mixture. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.
3. Bake for 8 minutes.
4. Remove from oven; sprinkle with basil.

*adapted from Cooking Light

pasta with sausage, broccoli, and roasted red peppers

Ingredients

1 1b. pasta
1.5 lbs. of broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces and stalks peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 oz. sausage (hot or sweet Italian)
1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
6-10 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup water
1 cup freshly grated cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions

1. Cook pasta.
2. Remove sausages from casing and brown in skillet on medium heat; break into small pieces with spoon (I like to use a potato masher for this).
3. Stir in roasted red peppers and garlic; cook 15 seconds.
4. Add broccoli, 1/2 tsp. salt, and water. Increase heat to high and cover skillet; cook until broccoli turns bright green, about 2 minutes
5. Uncover and continue to cook until liquid has evaporated and the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes longer.
6. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to pot.
7. Stir in sausage and broccoli mixture, cheese, pasta water, and oil. Toss to coat evenly

*adapted from America's Test Kitchen