Beef Sticky Buns

Total Recipe Time: 1 to 1-1/4 hours

Makes 4 servings or 8 sticky buns

Ingredients

   1 recipe Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage (recipe below)
   1 cup sliced button mushrooms
3/4 cup diced onion
   3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
   1 package (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 cup jalapeño pepper jelly, warmed (optional) or Cream Cheese "Frosting" (optional, recipe below )

Instructions

Prepare Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage, cooking mushrooms and onion with beef and spices. Add spinach to skillet; stir to wilt spinach. Set mixture aside 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture is cooled completely, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Unroll pizza dough on flat surface; pat or roll dough evenly to 14 x 10-inch rectangle, pinching together any tears, if necessary. Spread beef mixture on dough, leaving 1/2 inch border on short side furthest from you. Starting at closest short end, roll up jelly-roll style, pinching to close. Slice dough into 8 pieces using serrated knife and careful sawing motion; place cut-side-up on greased baking sheet.
Bake in 425°F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove buns to cooling rack. While still warm, drizzle with melted jalapeno pepper jelly, if desired.

Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage: Combine 12 ounces ground beef (96% lean), 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add beef mixture; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 1/2-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. (Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.) Makes 2 cups crumbles

Cream Cheese "Frosting": Combine 1/4 cup softened reduced-fat cream cheese and 1 tablespoon milk in small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over warmed beef rolls.

Cook'sTip

To warm jelly, place jelly in 1-cup glass measure. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 45 to 60 seconds or until melted, stirring once. Let stand 30 seconds.Cook's Tip: Baked buns can be frozen in 2-bun packages for 3 to 4 months. To reheat, place 2 frozen buns on microwave-safe plate. Microwave at MEDIUM (50% power) 45 to 60 seconds or until heated through. Let stand 30 seconds.

Nutrition information per serving: 409 calories; 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat); 57 mg cholesterol; 1084 mg sodium; 53 g carbohydrate; 3.1 g fiber; 28 g protein; 4.5 mg niacin; 0.3 mg vitamin B₆; 1.6 mcg vitamin B₁₂; 2.8 mg iron; 17.8 mcg selenium; 4.1 mg zinc; 64.7 mg choline.This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B₁₂, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber, vitamin B₆, iron and choline.