Back-to-school time can often mean “back-to-no-time-to-make-dinner”. With all of the extra stuff we have going on, it makes it a real challenge to not only prepare a meal but to find the time to sit down together to eat it. I know for me, even when I do a full week of meal planning the weekend before, it can still be difficult to find the time to cook. Let alone cook healthy meals, which is so super important for me.
One simple way we make some better-for-you choices is by replacing beef and pork with turkey whenever possible. Not only is turkey delicious, it is a leaner option which means fewer fat and calories.
But not all turkey is created equal, so let me tell you why I like Honeysuckle White brand turkey (along with their sister brand Shady Brook Farms for folks on the East coast).
- Honeysuckle White turkey is made without the use of growth-promoting antibiotics. In fact, they are the first major brand to raise their turkeys without using antibiotics for growth promotion!
- Honeysuckle White turkeys are raised by independent family farmers. These farmers are trained in animal handling practices and are committed to providing better food.
- Honeysuckle White is premium turkey without the premium price.
My son had been asking for spaghetti recently so I figured I’d use some of the Honeysuckle White turkey sausage and change up traditional spaghetti into something a bit more creative, though still easy and delicious.
Italian Turkey Sausage Spaghetti with Garlic Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh lean ground Honeysuckle Farms turkey sausage mild Italian
- 1 1/4 lb fresh lean Honeysuckle Farms turkey sausage links sweet Italian
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced onion
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Begin to cook spaghetti per package instructions.
- In a small saucepan, heat butter, olive oil, spices and 1 cup Parmesan cheese over low heat stirring frequently.
- In a large skillet brown the ground sausage.
- In a second skillet, add 1/2 cup water and cook the sausage links until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Drain ground turkey and add to butter sauce. Continue stirring.
- Slice turkey sausage links, saute for 1-2 minutes to brown the insides and set aside.
- Drain spaghetti, return to pot and combine with butter sauce until pasta is completely covered.
- Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese and sliced turkey sausage.
This was a nice alternative to red sauce spaghetti. We served it with a side of baby peas, but you could actually add cooked peas in at step #7 and serve it mixed in with the pasta.
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