Turkey & Sausage Calzone

Serves: 4  Prep Time:  30 minutes  Cook Time: 15 minutes

Cooking spray

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2  garlic cloves, minced

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1  pound  ground turkey breast (original recipe called for ground chicken)

1 T tomato paste

¼ cup red wine

1 large can crushed tomato

¼  t  crushed red pepper

1 t dried oregano

S&P

1  (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough

½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese you could also use fresh mozzarella for really super gooey fillings!

¼ cup parmesan cheese for sprinkling.

½ t garlic powder

½ t S&P

Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and sausage.  Allow sausage to brown, about 4 minutes.  Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions and mushrooms to pan.  Seaon with salt and pepper.  Cook until soft, about 5 min.  Add garlic,s sausage and turkey to pan and sauté 5 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato paste, cook for a minute or so. Deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the good bits, with your red wine.  Stir in your tomatoes and season with red pepper, oregano, and more S&P.   Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; cut dough into quarters. Pat each portion into an 8 x 6–inch rectangle. Divide turkey and sausage mixture evenly among rectangles; top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese. Working with one rectangle at a time, fold dough in half over filling, pinching edges to seal. Repeat procedure with remaining rectangles. Crimp the edges with a fork.  Sprinkle the tops with S&P, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until golden.

I thought I’d use this post today to call attention to a disease that is taking a toll on our dear friend’s family.  Their son Billy has been fighting SMA for over 4 years now.  SMA is the number one genetic killer of children under the age of 2.  Billy is beating the odds but we’re running out of time to find a cure.  Please watch the following video and take a look at the courageous battle our friends wage every day.

You may never have heard of spinal muscular atrophy before, however it’s important to realize that SMA is the number one genetic killer of children under the age of 2. What is SMA? Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) refers to a group of diseases which affect the motor neurons of the spinal cord and brain stem. These critically important cells are responsible for supplying electrical and chemical messages to muscle cells. Without the proper input from the motor neurons, muscle cells can not function properly. The muscle cells will, therefore, become much smaller (atrophy) and will produce symptoms of muscle weakness. There are dozens of diseases which affect the motor neuron.

*Spinal Muscular Atrophy kills more babies than any other genetic disease.

Degeneration and death of the motor neurons (also called Anterior Horn Cells) in the brain stem and spinal cord produces weakness in the muscles of swallowing, breathing, and limbs. This disease afflicts infants, children, and adults worldwide. It is estimated that spinal muscular atrophy occurs in between one-in-6,000 and one-in-20,000 births. Recent advances in our understanding of the genetics of this disorder confirm that the majority of children and adults afflicted with SMA, have inherited this disorder by receiving one gene from both their mother and their father. This is termed autosomal recessive genetic transmission.

Between one-in-40 and one-in-80 “normal” men and women carry the gene for spinal muscular atrophy. If both a man and woman carry the gene, the chances are 25% that any of their children will manifest SMA.

Despite the fact that SMA was described many decades ago, there is still a great deal of confusion among patients, parents, and physicians as to the diagnosis, treatment, and genetic counseling which should be provided for those affected with this disease. Some of these questions have been answered by advances in the science of molecular genetics. We now know that the common forms of SMA are the result in a change in a gene located on chromosome #5. Even though we refer to “different types of SMA”, most of these are the result of a number of alterations (mutations) in the gene which are ultimately responsible for the degeneration or premature death of the anterior horn cells. It is still useful to think in terms of several different types of SMA to assist in guiding appropriate treatment, depending on whether the disease is severe or relatively benign. In virtually all cases of SMA, the symptoms are dominated by muscle weakness. There are no problems with sensation of the face, arms, or legs. Intelligence is unaffected, and in fact many physicians who have worked with hundreds of children with SMA are impressed that these children tend to be unusually alert, interactive, and socially gifted.

The above was written for Fight SMA by: Robert T. Leshner, M.D., Professor, Neurology and Pediatrics, Children’s National Medical Center

Here at Ma, What’s For Dinner we are committed to helping Billy and his family, and all the other families out there fighting, to find a cure.  It can happen and we can all help.  15% of all profits from the sale of our cookbook go straight to Fight SMA in Billy’s name to find a cure.  We hope you can help you can find out more at Fight SMA.

To order our book please click here

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Serves: 4  Prep Time:  5 minutes  Cook time:  20 minutes

1 pound penne

2 t salt

1 ½ t pepper

1 T  garlic powder

1 T Cajun seasoning

1 pound chicken, diced

2 T oil

3 T hot sauce, Frank’s or Tobasco, divided

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup ranch dressing

¾ cup milk

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped scallions

shredded mozzerella

chopped blue cheese

Put on a pot of water to boil and when it does toss in some salt to season it and add in your pasta and cook until al dente.

Season chicken with the spices. You can pour it all into a ziploc bag to shake it all up. Heat oil over med-high heat and cook chicken until it’s cooked, about 5 minutes or so.  Next add 2 T hot sauce and cook for an additional minute or so.  This part always makes me cough, but I use A LOT of hot sauce, I like mine extra spicy!

Combine mayo, ranch, and milk and mix. It will be lumpy, then stir in additional T of hot sauce.  It depends on how hot you want it.  Add this to the skillet with the chicken. Cook a few minutes, until heated.

Pour over pasta and stir to combine.  Top with fresh celery, scallions, mozzarella and crumbled blue cheese.  Sooo good!  Thanks, Shell!  This one is going into permanent rotation!!! 

Serves 4  Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 30 minutes

2 T unsalted butter

2 T Olive Oil

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms

1 small onion, sliced thin

2 T minced shallots

1 T minced garlic

½ cup white wine

S&P

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Set a large skillet over medium heat.  Add butter and olive oil and let it melt.  Add mushrooms, onions and shallots and season with S&P. Cook about 5 minutes, toss in your garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes on first side and about 8 on the second, or until tender. Pour in your white wine about when you flip your chicken.  Be sure to scrape up all the good stuff on the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle with cheese and remove from heat.  Cover with tin foil for a few minutes, until, cheese melts.  Serve it up good and hot!  MMMmmmm!

Serves:  4   Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook time:  30 minutes

Easy Beef Strogonoff

2 ribeye steak, cut into thin strips (or NY Strip or whatever is leftover in the fridge)

3 T flour, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, sliced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 can beef broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

S&P

1 cup sour cream

Cooked noodles

Season the steak with S&P and dust strips with 2 T flour. In a large skillet, brown the steak in the olive oil and butter. Remove from the pan and set aside. Toss in your onions and mushrooms to the drippings. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour and allow to cook for a minute or so. Toss the steak back into the pan and add the soup and broth. Season with S&P.  Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve over cooked noodles.

ONE POT FISH WONDER

Serves 6  Prep Time:  10 minutes  Cook time: 25 minutes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

1/2 pound bulk Italian hot sausage

2 large cloves garlic minced

1 medium onion sliced

1 1/2 pounds baby red or Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 haddock, halibut, or cod fillets

¼ cup, chopped

1/2 lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and crumble while browning, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, onions and potatoes to the pan with the sausage and season with S&P, to taste. Pour in half of the vermouth or wine, cover the pan with a lid and cook 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the lid, add the tomatoes and gently stir into the potatoes. Set fillets on top of the potatoes and add the remaining vermouth or wine. Season the fish with salt and pepper, to taste. Set lid in place and cook until the fish is opaque, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Top the fish with parsley, the juice of 1/2 a lemon and garnish with a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and serve it up!

Serves: 4                        Prep time:  20 minutes            Cook time: 30 minutes

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 lb                                    ground beef

¼ c                                    milk

1 clove                                    chopped garlic

¼ c                                    chopped onions

¼ c                                    chopped red pepper

¼ c                                    chopped carrots

¾ c                                    bread crumbs

1 whole                        egg

¼ c                                    parmesan cheese

S&P

FOR THE HEALTHY VEGGIE MARINARA SAUCE

2 T                                    Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves                        garlic

¼ c                                    chopped onion

¼ c                                    chopped red pepper

¼ c                                    chopped carrots

¼ c                                    chopped mushrooms

1 28 oz can                        san marzano chopped tomato

1 ½ T                                    dried Italian seasoning

S&P

1 box                                    linguine, spaghetti, whatever floats your boat

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Get out a large cookie sheet and spray it with cooking oil, set aside.  Put on some water to boil for your pasta.

In a large pot or dutch oven heat the oil over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot add onion, carrots, and mushrooms.  Sautee until veggies are soft and onions are translucent, about 7-9 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatballs.  Mix them all together using your hands and form into little golf balls.  Put them on your greased cookie sheet and slide into your oven.  Bake for 25 minutes.

When your veggies are soft add the garlic to your pot.  Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring often.  Sprinkle in S&P and your Italian seasoning.  Stir.  Pour in tomatoes and stir to combine.  Bring your sauce up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Your water should be boiling now so add some salt and throw in your pasta, cook according to package.

When your meatballs are done slide them into your sauce and let them cook an additional 5 minutes in the sauce.  Drain your pasta and spoon out onto plate.  Scoop meatballs and sauce on top of the pasta and serve with a side salad and crusty bread to scoop up extra sauce!  I threw some leftover broccoli in as well.  

Noteworthy Nugget:  You can triple or quadruple this recipe for sauce and freeze it in plastic baggies or Tupperware containers to always keep on hand!  You can also make extra meatballs and freeze them for Grab n Go  meatball subs in a snap.

Serves: 6 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 1 hr 5 minutes

1 package (about 3 cups) shredded hash browns

1 T extra virgin olive oil

3 T butter

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup half-and-half

1 lb bulk italian sausage crumbled

½ cup onions, diced

3/4 cup diced asparagus

1 cup shredded cheddar

½ t paprika

S&P

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in your sausage and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and place allow to cool on a plate. In the same pan add in the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add in your hash brows. Toss to coat well with butter mixture and season with paprika and S&P.

Grab a 9 inch pie plate and pour in the potato mixture Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake until golden brown and just starting to crisp, about 25 mintues.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, half & half, sausage, onions, asparagus, cheese, and season with salt and pepper. When your hash brown crust is ready ladle the egg mixture over the crust and return it to the oven. Drop the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden and puffy.

Serves: 8                      Prep time: 20 minutes                        Cook time: 40 minutes

2 lb                                    russet potatoes peeled and cubed

2 lb                                    ground beef

1 large                              onion, chopped

1 c                                    mushrooms, sliced

½ T                                    garlic powder

¼ c                                    ketchup

2 T                                    Worcestershire sauce

½ jar                                 mushroom gravy, store bought

½ 10 oz can                        Light cream of mushroom soup

¾ c                                    frozen corn

¾ c                                    frozen peas

½ c                                    milk

3 T                                    sour  cream

2 T                                    butter

1 large                                    egg

S&P

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Place your peeled cubed potatoes in large pot of cold water over high heat.  Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender (about 8-10 minutes after water boils depending on the size of your cubes).

In a large skillet brown your ground beef over medium high heat.  Once the meat has browned push it to the sides of the pan creating a well in the middle.  If the meat has given off enough oil add in your onions and mushrooms, if it’s a bit dry you can add a tablespoon of olive oil.  Let the mushrooms and onions soften for 3-4 minutes then stir to combine with meat.  Season with garlic powder and S&P.  Add in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, gravy and soup.  Let simmer for 5 mintues.  Stir in frozen corn and peas.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.

Drain your potatoes and return to pan.  Pour in your milk, sour cream, butter, and egg and season with S&P.  Using a hand mixer whip your potatoes until smooth and set aside to cool a bit.

Pour your meat mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish and pat down into a flat layer.  Spoon your mashed potatoes over the top of the meat covering it completely.  Cover with shredded cheddar cheese.  Spray a piece of tin foil with cooking spray and cover your baking dish.  Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Serves: 6   Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 1 hr 30 minutes

1 5-6 pound roasting chicken

1 pound red potatoes

3 carrots chopped in big chunks

16 oz button mushrooms

2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 heads garlic (divided)

2 large onions

1 lemon

1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 bunch thyme

4 T butter, room temperature

S&P

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Wash your chicken and pat it dry.  Remove the gizzard, etc from the cavity.  Replace it with lemon, halved, 1 garlic clove halved, 1 onion halved, and the parsley and thyme.  Rub your chicken’s skin with butter and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper.  

In the bottom of your roasting pan arrange potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms.  Slice your remaining onion into big chunks and sprinkle around veggies.  Peel remaining garlic cloves and sprinkle around veggies.  Toss all the veggies in olive oil and season with S&P.  Place your chicken on top of veggies (or on a rack above the veggies) and get him into the oven.

Cook chicken for 1 hour 20 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 160 degrees.  Allow your chicken to rest on the counter for 10 minutes.  Carve and serve with veggies.  Yum!