Tonight's Dinner Beef and sweet potato pockets recipe

Usually when dinner is served, you have your entree, a side and possibly some nice bread or rolls on your plate. Tonight, why not wrap all those food groups up in a nice little pocket?

 

Four food groups
take pocket form

There's nothing my son likes more than eating with his hands. Of course since he's almost three, we're desperately trying to teach him how to eat with a fork and/or spoon. But some nights are just a lost cause. It's on these nights that I decide not to fight the toddler and give him something he can actually pick up and eat with his hands. Sure, my husband and I still usually pull out the fork and knife, but if I can get the baby to clean his plate using his hands, I'm going to take that road rather than fight him.

These delightful little pockets from Real Simple are just one way to achieve that clean-your-plate-goal. What's even nicer about them, is that you get four out of the five food groups all wrapped up in a cute little turnover. And since it's stuffed with sweet potato, ground beef and cheese, there's just no way your child isn't going to clean his plate.

Beef and sweet potato pocketsIngredients:1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 pound ground beef or bulk sausage1 garlic clove, minced1 sweet potato, roasted1 cup baby spinach, choppedSalt and pepper to taste2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheeseDirections:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef or sausage and cook until no longer pink, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and remove from the heat.Add the sweet potato, spinach, salt and pepper to the skillet and toss to combine.Lay the pastry on a cutting board that's lightly floured and cut each sheet in half, forming a total of four rectangles. Spoon the beef mixture onto one side of each rectangle. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.Fold the dough over the filling and press firmly with a fork to seal the edges. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately.

More Tonight's Dinner recipes >>Other turnover recipes

Curried chicken turnovers
Pizza turnovers
Sausage-cheese turnovers