Tradition has never done it for me.
Shocking. I know.
I’ve mentioned before what a terrible Southerner I am. I don’t like fried okra, creamed corn, or cornbread (with the exception of this recipe)… I can leave 99% of the traditional Southern stuff behind. This includes traditional Thanksgiving food.
This year I fled to Arizona where these were the new classic appetizers:
Classic. And klassy.
Thanksgiving things I don’t like include: cranberry sauce, stuffing, and that nasty green bean casserole with the fried onion things on top. Oh… and turkey.
I do like turkey, just not the whole big bird. Vegas likes lasagna, and I decided we should have turkey in SOME form… so turkey lasagna is was! I added goat cheese, which might make this a little strange. It’s at least strange to have lasagna on Thanksgiving. However, Turkey Goat Cheese Lasagna on Thanksgiving or any other day is good.
Cheesy goodness
Also #strangebutgood was the new addition I got the day after Thanksgiving. Sorry Mom.
I have ugly toes.
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Turkey Goat Cheese Lasagna
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 1 tsp EVOO
- 1/2 C yellow onion
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 2 garlic cloves
- 28 oz salt-free crushed tomatoes (I like San Marzano)
- 6 oz no salt tomato paste
- 1/4 C fresh parsley
- 1/2 C fresh basil
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 15 oz low fat ricotta
- 10 oz frozen spinach
- 3 oz creamy goat cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2-3/4 C grated Parmesan
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add ground turkey and cook ~5 minutes more, stirring to break up any large chunks of meat.
Add tomato sauces, 2 T parsley, basil, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook 5-10 mins.
In medium bowl, stip ricotta, egg, spinach, goat cheese, Parmesan, 1/4 tsp pepper.
Ladle sauce into bottom of dish. Layer 1/2 the pasta, 1/2 the ricotta, and 1/3 sauce. Add remaining pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and sauce. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.
Bake 30 mins, until sauce is bubbling.
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How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 
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For Christmas I’m thinking rollatini…
Do you like “traditional” food for certain holidays or your region?
What’s your traditional winter holiday meal?
I always hated green bean casserole too, but my niece was nice enough to make a vegan version for our dinner this year so I had to eat some. It wasn’t too bad, especially all stirred together with all the other food
It all gets mixed up in the end anyway.
I will seriously eat ANYTHING with goat cheese on it!
you and me both! ahh i want this for thanksgiving next year!
Blendsgiving?!
No traditional meals here! I love non-traditional! My US friends and I here in Canada get together for US Thanksgiving every year and there’s a theme (these guys throw awesome parties; going to a fun cocktail one whose theme is “smoked” next week! – food and drink) and it’s always traditional aspects of the meal with a twist…Love that! Your meal looks delish! I should make that this weekend. And tattoo…I want another one. “Oh the places…” you’ll go? What’s it say? Very fun.
That sounds like os much fun! Smoked is my favorite cocktail theme.
The tattoo is “Oh, the places you’ll go…” My favorite Dr. Seuss book. They’re so addicting!
Cute tattoo, Laura!
Thanks Janet!
I’ve never liked the traditional sides or turkey for thanksgiving. I made salmon one year and every person I told acted like I committed a felony. No turkey???!!!?!?
I think salmon sounds amazing! I’ll come to your house next year.
This recipe looks INSANE! (in the best possible way!) I love goat cheese and have never thought of making lasagna with it. Great idea.
this looks great! i’ve been really into making crockpot lasagna – may have to modify this for that cuz it sounds really good!
I need a crockpot. I’m out of room! Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
This looks awesome! The other day, although completely unrelated, I saw a whole store devoted to Donkey skincare products. It was really cool!
Hold up. Donkey?!
I can feel your happiness right through these blog posts, and I LOVE IT. Sometimes it’s good to be wrong, and this would be one of those times. Plus that kind of exercise is good for all parties involved.
I despise the green bean casserole. It ruins green beans if you ask me, and people can keep their turkey and stuffing too. Thanksgiving is so not my holiday. Pfft, I should have come to Arizona and worked my way through this lasagna and repeatedly and happily told you to get a room.
Thanks friend! Exercise… extra cardio… tee hee…
I do like the green bean casserole but no to pretty much everything else. Luckily, my dad’s side is Italian and we have manicotti. That’s something I can get on board with!
Yum! I can’t remember the last time I had lasagna. So sad.
But that pizza… I think you’re still doing well.
This is probably the least strange thing you’ve ever posted. It does look good though.
HA! I’m offended, actually.
Goat cheese in lasagna = you are a genius. Aaaaand, I love your tattoo!
Thanks Allie!!!
There is some serious cheese porn going on there! I’m pretty much living on goats cheese for my cheese fix (I can’t stop saying cheese now) seeing as it doesn’t affect my skin like cow’s does… yet… So this is a keeper!
Have you had goat milk yogurt? I’m obsessed.
I am so with you! Not a fan of plain turkey or stuffing or most traditional Thanksgiving foods. Maybe they’re too bland? i don’t know what it is but it’s not my favorite meal. Other than the pies. But turkey and goat cheese lasagna? Yes!
yum! I love lasagna, but I’ve actually NEVER made it on my own. Frozen a couple of times. Ha! I need to give it a whirl!
Glad you enjoyed Tucson! I lived there for 10 years. I’m all about eating non-traditional stuff as you may have guessed already.
i love non traditional lol! I wanna try this hehe. My sister came for turkey day & we had no turkey hahah!! We were both sick of it hahaha so we had roast chicken hahah!! We had fun lol!! All that matters is the ppl ur with shoot hehe!!
I would have loved that – roasted chicken is one of my comfort foods. And pie.
We always had a funny mish mash of dishes for the holidays – half classic American dishes and half traditional Chinese dishes. Definitely loved that it was not traditional. Glad that you had a great holiday!
That sounds amazing! I did Christmas dinner with some Taiwanese family friends one year – it was the BEST food!
what a cute tattoo!!
Wow your tattoo is so cool! But your lasagne is a close contender!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Um…. pinning because that sounds insane nd I’m gonna make it!
You rock that tattoo like a BOSS.
Thanks Arman!!! Let me know if you try it… I can’t wait to see how you double the cheese and add Marmite.
So jealous you were in Vegas for thanksgiving i love Vegas and always went with my family every year growing up for thanksgiving weekend! Xo C
I was in Arizona… WITH Vegas.
I have WAY uglier toes (15 years of dancing and 10 years of running will do that to ya…), I love the tattoo, the lasagna sounds delish, and have you ever tried roasted okra? So much better!
I have… and okra chips… and pickled… I just can’t.
I could leave the green bean casserole too, but fried turkey is my thing.
This recipe actually does look pretty awesome
I’m overdue for a pedi but feeling cheap and lazy lol Hope you had a great weekend Laura! Take Care -Iva
YUM!
I just love a good lasagna, and yours looks absolutely amazing. his is the time where I wish I could just close my eyes and this dish would appear in front of me lol