Empanadas with Sweet Maple- Apple-Ginger Syrup



Ingredients

  • Syrup:
    1/2 cup maple syrup**
    1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
    2 tablespoons ginger preserves * (recipe below)
    1 tablespoon brown sugar or agave nectar**

  • Empanadas:
    9 eggs, divided
    1/4 cup low fat milk**
    Salt and pepper to taste
    1 tablespoon butter**
    1 pound  cooked ground breakfast turkey sausage, all fat drained off**
    3 green onions, chopped
    1 cup low fat Monterey-Jack cheese, shredded**
    1 can (16 ounces) refrigerated jumbo biscuits (8 biscuits)
    2 teaspoons water

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

    2. Combine maple syrup, apple juice concentrate, ginger preserves and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just comes to a boil and sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

    3. Cook ground turkey sausage in a large skillet.  When fully cooked, remove from heat and drain between paper towels to remove all excess oil. Wipe excess oil from pan and set aside. Beat 8 eggs and milk and salt and pepper to taste in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Melt butter in large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add eggs; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or just until set. Stir in sausage and green onion cook 2-3 minutes or until sausage is hot. Stir in cheese; remove from heat.

    4. Press or roll out each biscuit on lightly floured surface to 6-inch circle. Spoon about 1/2 cup sausage mixture onto center of each biscuit. Beat remaining egg with water; brush onto edges of biscuits. Fold in half; press edges together with fork to seal.

    5. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Brush tops with remaining egg wash. Bake for 14-17 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with syrup. 

    6. You can also substitute the following: diced cooked potatoes for meat, or egg substitute for regular eggs.

    * 2 tablespoons apricot preserves combined with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger for ginger preserves.

    **recipe has been modified from original version to cut calories and fat.