Ingredients:
1 box Cazza gourmet turkey meatballs (we like to use the Farmers Market flavor)
2 tsp olive oil
1 24 oz jar (or 3 cups) marinara sauce
8 oz dry whole wheat pasta (I like to use Tagliatelle or Fetuccine)

Directions:
Cook pasta and heat meatballs according to instructions.

Over medium-high heat, heat olive oil in a large skillet on stove. Crumble meatballs and add to pan. Let the turkey brown for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Once about 50% browned, add marinara sauce and heat through continuing to stir occasionally. Pour over prepared pasta and serve.

Makes two generous servings.

Tip: Garnish with grated parmesan and a sprig of basil or Italian parsley for a more gourmet look.

Que Syrah, Syrah! Syrah is famous for its subtly meaty flavors, a happy fact when pairing a wine with Bolognese sauce! California and Chile are standout regions for Syrah, and the grape also makes wonderful, full-bodied versions called Shiraz in Australia. Cheers!

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Ingredients:
4-5 Cazza gourmet turkey meatballs (we use the Original flavor)
½ TBS olive oil
½ a small yellow onion sliced into rings
2 whole pitas
2 cups shredded hearts of romaine
2 vine ripened tomatoes diced

Greek Yogurt Dressing
½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 minced garlic cloves
2 TBS dill (preferably fresh)
2 tsp lemon juice (preferably fresh)
¼ tsp salt

Directions:
Mix all ingredients for greek yogurt dressing and refrigerate (can be made up to one day ahead of time).

In a medium size frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until onions are soft and slightly browned (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat.

Cook gourmet meatballs according to instructions. Then slice into ¼ inch slices.

Cut each pita in half so that you have a total of 4 open pockets. Then with each pocket on it’s side, layer in grilled onions, turkey slices, lettuce and tomatoes until full. Pour a generous spoonful of yogurt sauce over the top and serve.

Tip: I like to keep the yogurt sauce refrigerated until the last minute so that I have a nice contrast between the warm turkey and the cool sauce.

Ingredients:
1 box Cazza gourmet meatballs
1 wide sourdough baguette (or other suitable bread) cut to make 3 sandwiches
2 cups Marinara sauce
8 thin slices part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
If you have a Panini grill turn it on and let it heat up.

Heat meatballs according to package instructions. Generously spread marinara sauce over bottom halves of sandwiches. Cut meatballs in half and place three half meatballs on each sandwich. Cover meatballs with remaining sauce and then place two slices of cheese on each sandwich. Cover with top piece of bread and grill for 5-10 minutes (or until cheese is melting and you have brown Panini marks on the bread). Serve hot!

Makes three hearty sandwiches.

Tip: If you do not have a Panini grill, heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake your sandwiches for 20 minutes. This will give you a hoagie sandwich effect!

Ingredients:
1 box Cazza gourmet turkey meatballs
Olive oil for greasing
1 1/2 cup store bought marinara sauce
3 “no boil” lasagna noodles
1 ½ cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
½ tsp dried oregano

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat up 5 gourmet turkey meatballs according to package instructions. Grease a 71/2 x 5 inch baking dish lightly with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the dish with just enough sauce to cover. The layer of sauce should be thin enough that it is transparent in some areas. Then place one hard, uncooked “no boil” lasagna noodle over sauce. Crumble 2 1/2 meatballs and spread evenly over the lasagna noodle. Then cover turkey evenly with a half cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with a couple pinches oregano then cover evenly with about ¼- ½ cup marinara sauce. Place a second lasagna noodle. Crumble remaining 2 1/2 meatballs to cover noodle evenly. Cover with a half cup shredded cheese and two pinches oregano. This time place the last noodle before the marinara sauce. Cover completely with a very thin layer of sauce and then sprinkle remaining mozzarella and two pinches of oregano.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven before cutting into the lasagna.

Makes 1 lasagna for two.

Tip: We like to bring the whole lasagna to the dinner table for people to serve themselves. The small size dish makes a fun intimate shared dinner for two. Or if you have more people to feed, I just bring out two or three of the small lasagnas!

The soulful flavor or oregano and unmistakable tang of a great marina sauce are tailor made for Italian Chianti. California versions are labeled “Sangiovese” for the grape used in Chianti, and are wonderful substitutes. Another great choice is a Côtes-du-Rhône red from southern France. Its fruity flavor profile and subtle herbal notes will match beautifully with this dish.

Ratings:

Ingredients:
1 box Cazza gourmet turkey meatballs
3 whole wheat hot dog buns
1 egg white (optional)
2 TBS shredded parmesan
½ TBS olive oil
½ a small yellow onion sliced into thin rings
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp salt
5 large fresh basil leaves
5 wooden toothpicks (optional)

Directions:
Set oven to high broil.

In a medium size frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until onions are soft and slightly browned. Remove onions from pan and in the same pan add can of tomatoes and salt. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about ten minutes stirring occasionally. Once slightly thickened, use an immersion blender (can use a regular blender if you don’t have an immersion blender) to gently blend 20 or 30 seconds so that you have thick, slightly chunky consistency to your sauce.

Trim the rounded edges off each bun so that you end up with 3 rectangular shaped buns. Then cut each rectangle in half to make 6 square slider buns. Slice open each of your slider buns all the way so that you have 6 tops and 6 bottoms lying open faced. You can discard one top and bottom as you will only need 5 for thid recipe. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and broil until open faced sides are golden brown. Remove from oven and turn each piece over. Brush only the top halves with egg white (this is optional but it gives the bun a shiny appearance and helps the cheese stick). Then use half of the grated parmesan to sprinkle over the top halves of the buns. Return to oven and broil all pieces until cheese is melted on top halves and bottom halves are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat up 5 (one package) gourmet turkey meatballs according to package instructions.

Spread bottom side of each bun with a generous dollop of the cooked tomato sauce. Then cover bottom halves with 1 basil leaf . Place the meatball on the basil and top with some grilled onions, more tomato sauce, and a generous pinch of parmesan. Cover with top bun, secure with toothpick if you like and serve.

Makes 5 sliders.

Serving size= 1 slider

Calories: approximately 225 per serving
Fat: approximately 5.6g

Since we’re talking tomato and basil here, we’ve got to go Italian! Barbera is a fun, easy-drinking red from northern Italy’s Piedmont region that’s terrific with the lively flavors in this dish. Another great choice is Tempranillo, a fruit-forward joy a red wine from Spain’s famed Rioja region.

Ratings:

Ingredients:
1 box Cazza gourmet turkey meatballs (we like to use the Original or Spicy flavors)
3 whole wheat hot god buns
1 egg white (optional)
5 paper thin slices and 1 TBS shredded parmesan
½ TBS olive oil
½ a small yellow onion sliced into thin rings
5 TBS of your favorite BBQ sauce
8 baby arugula leaves
2 ripe roma tomato sliced lengthwise
5 wooden toothpicks (optional)

Directions:
Set oven to high broil.

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until onions are soft and slightly browned (about 20 minutes).

Trim the rounded edges off each bun so that you end up with three rectangular shaped buns. Then cut each rectangle in half to make six square buns. Slice open each of your slider buns all the way so that you have 6 tops and 6 bottoms lying open faced. You can discard one of the slider buns as you will only need 5 buns for this recipe. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and broil until open faced sides are golden brown. Remove from oven and turn each piece over. Brush only the top halves with egg white (this is optional but it gives the bun a shiny appearance and helps the cheese stick). Then sprinkle each top half with the grated cheese. Return to oven and broil all pieces until cheese is melted on top halves and bottom halves are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat up four gourmet turkey meatballs according to package instructions.

Spread each open faced side of bun with a generous spreading of BBQ sauce. Then cover bottom halves with 1-2 leaves arugula. Place one tomato slice on top of arugula then top with 1 slice cheese. Place the meatball on the cheese and top with some grilled onions. Cover with top bun, secure with toothpick if you like and serve.

Makes 5 sliders.

Serving size= 1 slider

Calories: approximately 257 per serving
Fat: approximately 6.6g

BBQ sauce has a lot of sweetness to it, so it’s a great idea to pair it with a hearty red wine boasting some sweetness, too. California Zinfandel is always a great match with anything with BBQ sauce, but if white’s the rule then reach for a subtly sweet Pinot Gris from Oregon – it’ll be just the trick.

Ratings:

Ingredients:
1 box Cazza gourmet turkey meatballs
3 whole wheat hot dog buns
1 egg white (optional)
5 paper thin slices and 1 TBS shredded mild gruyere cheese (can substitute with parmesan or asiago)
½ TBS olive oil
½ a small yellow onion sliced into thin rings
2 TBS light mayonnaise
8 leaves baby arugula
1 granny smith apple
5 wooden toothpicks (optional)

Directions:
Set oven to high broil.

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until onions are soft and slightly browned (about 20 minutes).

Trim the rounded edges off each bun so that you end up with 3 rectangular shaped buns. Then cut each rectangle in half to make 6 square buns. Slice open each of your 6 slider buns all the way so that you have 6 tops and 6 bottoms lying open faced. You can discard one of the buns as you will only need 5 for this recipe. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and broil until open faced sides are golden brown. Remove from oven and turn each piece over. Brush only the top halves with egg white (this is optional but it gives the bun a shiny appearance and helps the cheese stick). Then sprinkle each top half with the grated cheese. Return to oven and broil all pieces until cheese is melted on top halves and bottom halves are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat up four gourmet turkey meatballs according to package instructions.

Spread each open faced side of bun with light mayonnaise. Then cover bottom halves with 1-2 leaves arugula. Stand the apple up on your cutting board. Starting from the outside and working toward the center, slice the apple to form thin discs discarding the first slice. Place one apple disc on top of arugula then top with 1 slice cheese. Place the meatball on the cheese and top with some grilled onions. Cover with top bun, secure with toothpick if you like and serve.

Makes 5 sliders

Hint: These make great party hors duvres!

Serving size= 1 slider

Calories: approximately 252 per serving
Fat: approximately 7.9g per serving

Wine: Whites from Alsace are rich and reflect baking spices and tree fruit aromas and flavors (think apple & pear) that make them terrific with savory fare prepared with apples. Reach for a Trimbach or Hugel Gewürztraminer, or a crisp, bubbly Crémant d’Alsace (the equivalent of Champagne from this northeasterly region of France). Enjoy!