Tag: marinara

Sausage Basil Dumplings

This is a great way to keep kids busy after school. These are delicious dumplings with yummy Italian flavors… serve it with marinara sauce!

3 sausage links, squeezed out of the casings (any kind of sausages)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
½ cup basil, chopped
1 cup marinara sauce
1 pack wonton skins
Small bowl with water

Heat a non-stick pan with the olive oil. Add the meat from the sausages and brown for 2 to 3 minutes while separating the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat. Turn heat off and cool for 10 minutes. Add the chopped basil and keep aside.

Take one wonton skin, wet the edges with a finger. Place one to two teaspoons of filling in the middle. Fold the wonton skin in half and seal the top while pleating at the same time. Repeat the process using up the remaining filling.

¼ cup olive oil

Heat a frying pan with 1 teaspoon oil. Add enough dumplings making sure not to over crowd. Brown the dumplings on both sides on a medium heat. Add ¼ cup of water to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook the dumplings on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Take the lid off and cook any excess moisture. Transfer the dumplings to a platter and cook the remaining dumplings. Serve with marinara sauce.

Pasta with Turkey and Spinach

This is a healthy one! My daughter’s friend was coming over on a Sunday and was going to stay for lunch. Kids love pasta- we all know that. It is always hard to come up with new and interesting dishes to serve them.

I had ground turkey in the fridge and decided to make a quick meat sauce. I also had a big container of freshly made marinara sauce. Instead of serving vegetables on the side, I added it into the sauce. I love making one pot meals- especially for kids. I have also noticed they tend to eat the veggies if they are incorporated into the dish.

I sauteed an onion and garlic with the meat- added the tomato sauce and spinach. That was it- so simple and delicious.

1 pound ground turkey meat
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 cups chopped frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups marinara sauce
Salt

Heat a saucepan with the olive oil. Add the turkey meat and separate meat with a wooden spoon. Cook on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes. Add the two cups marinara sauce and mix well. Add salt and check for seasonings. Cook, covered for 10 minutes. Serve with pasta.