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Make over your menu with simple one-dish meals

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Tuscan Pizza With Caramelized Onions and Turkey Sausage
Chipotle Turkey Cutlets With Sweet Onion Charred Corn Salsa
Quick and Easy Turkey-Onion Fettuccine
Spicy Turkey Onion Lentil Soup

(Family Features) - In the fall, family life becomes busier than ever. While families are more likely to dine at home than eat out, finding time for meal preparation is a challenge. No wonder busy parents often want to make over their menus to spend less time in the kitchen. Research shows quick, healthy one-dish recipes are popular with today's time-starved working or stay-at-home parents. According to a study from Food Technology Magazine, Americans are now demanding - and redefining - one-dish dining.

So what's cooking this fall? Homemade meals made simple using convenience products.

Making over dinner classics is a cinch with versatile, easy-to-prepare ingredients that, when combined, bring out a wonderful world of flavors. For these reasons, turkey is growing in popularity. In fact, according to the USDA Economic Research Service, Americans are increasing their consumption of turkey more rapidly than any other meat. Plus, turkey is naturally lean and high in protein. Turkey sausage adds new flavor, without the fat, to favorites such as pizza or lentil soup. Ground turkey enhances ho-hum spaghetti sauce.

And what would these dinnertime favorites be without onions, another makeover ingredient for one-dish recipes. For a healthy focus on your fall meals, onions not only provide flavor - they have health-promoting phytochemicals and nutrients. Sodium-, fat- and cholesterol-free, onions are available year-round in yellow, red and white varieties. Caramelized or sautéed, onions are mild and sweet; fresh onions are bold and crisp.

For additional one-dish recipes and cooking tips, visit www.honeysucklewhite.com and www.onions-usa.org.

Sources:
NPD Group, Food Consulting Services
Food Technology Magazine's Sloan State-of-the-Industry Report:
What, When, and Where Americans Eat: 2003 Nutri-facts update, USDA Handbook 8-5 and research conducted in cooperation with USDA

A likely pair
According to the National Turkey Federation and the National Onion Association, Americans are consuming more turkey and onions. Each American, on average, eats nearly 18 to 19 pounds of both per year! They enhance flavors in a wide range of recipes, from casseroles to salads and from sandwiches to soups. And, they can be prepared any way you like to cook. Turkey is great on the grill or stovetop, or in the microwave, while onions can be peeled, sliced, diced or chunked to liven up any dish.

Know your onions

Store onions in a cool, dry ventilated place - not in the refrigerator. Do not store whole onions in plastic bags. Lack of air movement reduces storage life. Chopped or sliced onions can be stored in a sealed container in your refrigerator for up to 7 days. One medium onion equals about 1 cup chopped.

Tuscan Pizza With Caramelized Onions and Turkey Sausage

Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound Honeysuckle White or Shady Brook Farms Sweet or Spicy Italian Sausage
  • 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1-1/2 cups bottled pasta sauce
  • 1 prepared pizza crust (about 11-inch)
  • 1 bag (8-ounce) shredded mixed cheeses
  • Oregano (optional)

Preparation
    1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
    2. Slice sausage crosswise into thin slices. Place in skillet with oil and sauté, turning once, about 3 minutes.
    3. Remove from pan. Add onion and pepper strips to pan and sauté 10 minutes over medium heat until tender.
    4. Spread pasta sauce on pizza crust. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with sausage and onion mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and oregano.
    5. Bake about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is golden.

Serves
Makes 4 servings

Chipotle Turkey Cutlets With Sweet Onion Charred Corn Salsa

Ingredients
Salsa
  • 1-1/2 cups corn kernels
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime, quartered
Turkey
  • 1-1/4 pounds Honeysuckle White or Shady Brook Farms Turkey Breast Cutlets
  • 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preparation
    1. Salsa - Char corn in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add onion and oil to skillet and sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cilantro and saut¿ l minute. Remove from heat, squeeze juice from lime over and mix. May be made ahead and chilled, or made and served warm with turkey. Makes 2-1/2 cups
    2. Turkey - Sprinkle cutlets with chipotle powder. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and sauté, turning once, about 6 to 8 minutes or until cooked. Add broth and quickly cook to heat through, spooning sauce over turkey to blend flavors. If desired, portion turkey and sauce over bed of mixed salad greens. Serve with salsa.

Serves
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Quick and Easy Turkey-Onion Fettuccine

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound Honeysuckle White or Shady Brook Farms Lean Ground Turkey
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 jar (25 to 26 ounces) tomato-basil pasta sauce
  • 1 package (9 ounces) fresh fettuccini, plain or spinach

Preparation
    1. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
    2. Add turkey and onion and sauté until turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add pasta sauce and heat, stirring often, until mixture begins to bubble.
    3. Meanwhile, drop pasta into boiling water and boil 3 minutes or as package directs. Serve sauce over pasta.

Serves
Makes 4 servings

Spicy Turkey Onion Lentil Soup

Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound Honeysuckle White or Shady Brook Farms Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 box (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dried lentils, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup instant rice
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 1-1/2 cups halved baby carrots
  • 2 teaspoons bottled dry minced garlic
  • 2 cups water

Preparation
    1. Cut sausage in half lengthwise and peel off casing. Combine sausage and onion in oiled skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until sausage is browned. Add broth, lentils, rice, tomatoes, carrots, garlic and water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils and carrots are tender.

Serves
Makes 4 to 6 servings

SOURCE: Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms
National Onion Association

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