The Weeknight Table

Grocery List

Produce

• 2 large bunches collard greens, stems removed and chopped
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 1 head garlic, minced
• 2 celery stalks
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves

Meat

• 3 smoked turkey wings

Dairy

• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 16 ounces whole milk mozzarella, shredded
• 8 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded
• 3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pasta

• 12 lasagna noodles

Pantry

• Olive oil
• All-purpose flour
• Apple cider vinegar
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cajun seasoning
• Dried thyme
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• White pepper
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

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Directions

Place the smoked turkey wings into a large pot along with one onion, the celery, half of the garlic, the bay leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 3 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender. Remove the turkey, strain the broth, and reserve 2 cups of the stock. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and cook until softened before stirring in the remaining garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Add the collard greens and cook until wilted. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, and the apple cider vinegar. Continue cooking until almost all of the moisture has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in ⅓ cup flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the reserved smoked turkey stock followed by the heavy cream. Once smooth, whisk in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in 2 cups of the Parmesan along with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning, and ½ teaspoon white pepper. Simmer until thick and creamy.

Spread a layer of Alfredo sauce into the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer with lasagna noodles, Alfredo sauce, smoked turkey, collard greens, mozzarella, Fontina, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Repeat the layers until everything has been used, finishing with noodles, the remaining Alfredo sauce, mozzarella, Fontina, and Parmesan.

Cover tightly with foil and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Allow the lasagna to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.