Multi-Use Spicy Turkey Tomato Sauce

My husband doesn't mind helping in the kitchen and enjoys cooking. One night, several weeks ago during the Christmas rush, I was so busy with my home-based business that I couldn't get away to make the spaghetti dinner I had planned. Happily, my husband stepped in and created the best, spiciest pasta sauce I've ever had. When I asked how he did it, he said he opened the spice cabinet and started adding whatever sounded good. His instincts were right on and the final result was a huge hit with my family. Since that evening, he's made his now-famous sauce a couple of times and tonight I stood by and took notes so I could share his fantastic recipe with you.

This is more than just pasta sauce with a kick. We've had it as Sloppy Joe's, over baked potatoes, and once as the base for a taco salad for lunch the next day! Because we start with lean ground turkey breast, it is extremely low in fat when compared with regular meat sauce made from beef. Normally, I find ground turkey to be bland or dry, but not in this recipe! So, open up your spice cabinet and be adventurous.

Multi-Use Spicy Turkey Tomato Sauce
(Makes 4 generous servings)

1 pound ground breast of turkey (99% fat free)
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano leaves, dried
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chives, dried
1 tablespoon parsley flakes, dried
½ teaspoon basil, dried
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic & black pepper
¼ cup chopped onions (or 1½ tablespoons dried chopped onion)
1/3 cup red wine
26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce (Marinara)

1. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Add ground turkey and spices. Break up and stir often until meat is starting to brown. Add onions and continue cooking until meat is well browned. (If using dried onion, wait until marinara sauce has been added in next step.)

2. Add wine to deglaze pan and allow to simmer until almost completely evaporated. Add spaghetti sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced and thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

Serving Suggestions (extras not included in nutritional information below): Serve sauce over pasta, cooked spaghetti squash or baked potato. It may be served on toasted hamburger buns as a Sloppy Joe. Add a can of drained and rinsed red kidney beans and it’s great as a topping on a taco salad.

Nutritional Information per serving of meat sauce (¼ of recipe): 262 calories, 20.4 g carbohydrate, 5.1 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5.2 g fiber, 28.6 g protein.

Original recipe by Martin Sheehan, copyright 2010