Ingredients

• 1 lb. Kentucky Cattlemen's Ground Beef
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp rubbed sage)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 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 )

Cooking

1. Prepare Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage. Set aside 2 cups sausage mixture in large bowl; reserve remaining sausage for another use. Add onion and mushrooms to same skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach to skillet; stir to wilt spinach. Add vegetable mixture to beef; set aside 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture is cooled completely, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese. 
   
   Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage: Combine 1 pound Ground Beef, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add sausage mixture; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 1/2-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.
   Cook's Tip: 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.​
2. 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 sausage 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.
3. Bake in 425°F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove buns to cooling rack. While still warm, drizzle with melted jalapeño pepper jelly, if desired.   
   
   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 buns.

Recipe courtesy of the Beef Checkoff