A ragu to gobble, gobble.

Turkey breast gets a bad rap - easily overcooked (particularly when sharing the stage with a juicy leg cooked on the same bird), its ground version seeming like cardboard compared to a flavorful 80/20 ground chuck for burgers...turkey breast is often dismissed as cold cuts.

I'll dismiss the first claim about roast turkey breast being dry, because my last Thanksgiving bird was greeted with choruses of "It's so juicy! It's even better than when my mom makes it!" (Name withheld to protect the innocent). Deploy a little Michael Symon magic (a.k.a. butter-drenched cheesecloth - more on that around Thanksgiving), and you're golden (literally). But I can see what people mean when it comes to ground turkey -- if you're using 97/3 turkey breast, it can be tricky to coax flavor and juicyness out of it. It is my belief, however, that ground turkey just needs a little more attention -- some proper seasoning, a watchful eye while on the stove or grill, and thoughtful partnering with other appropriate textures. Ground turkey will always have a place in my kitchen -- a healthful, inexpensive, and when treated right, absolutely delicious freezer staple.

Bev's secrets to successful uses of ground turkey:

1. Season well - for burgers, I use a combination of herbs and a lovely balsamic-Worcestershire marinade (this both tenderizes the meat and injects iti with flavor); I find that smoked paprika lends an amazing meaty flavor, and I throw thyme in just about everything.
2. When cooking, start with a hot, hot pan to brown and caramelize the outside of the meat to seal in flavors and juice (then turn down the heat so as not to let things burn).
3. Be thoughtful about the accompanying ingredients in the recipe - my burgers involve roasted red peppers, sliced avocado, and fresh mozzarella (nothing dry about that - same with the ragu recipe below); I also love using ground turkey with Barilla Plus or whole wheat pasta; something about the nutty flavor of the pasta works so well with turkey.
4. Don't expect turkey to be beef! Once you start experimenting with ground turkey for what it is, you'll find it's actually quite delightful. I'm a strong proponent of not trying to fool yourself into thinking that one food is another (particularly in the health food department) -- enjoy it for what it is, or you'll always be disappointed it isn't.
   

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(Another super-fast weeknight dinner)
Penne with Turkey Ragu

1/4-1/3 lb penne (for two; I love Barilla Plus or whole grain pasta for this dish)
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 t smoked paprika
1 T thyme, total
1 T oregano, total
1/2 t dried chili flakes
1 T olive oil
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved (I used both yellow and red)
1 c white wine
1/2 c chicken stock
splash of cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté turkey on medium-high heat (start on the high end of medium-high, then turn down to medium to finish cooking). Season with thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. When turkey is cooked, remove from pan and set aside. Add olive oil and tomatoes, tossing for a few minutes. Add the rest of the herbs and spices, plus wine and stock. Deglaze pan and cook until liquid is reduced and tomatoes have cooked down (about 5-7 min.).

Meanwhile, boil pasta.

When tomatoes and liquid are reduced, add a splash (just a splash will go a long way) of cream to the pan and simmer just a minute more. Toss with cooked pasta and serve.