With the holiday season around the corner, fall staple dishes will become more prominent in our daily lives. For many, this includes turkey. As most households find themselves struggling to consume the leftovers from their holiday feast, this recipe will help even the most inexperienced cook turn leftover turkey into a deliciously upgraded pasta. 

Yield: 1 baking sheet, 10-16 servings 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Total time: 45 minutes 

Ingredients: 

32 ounces of noodles of choice; I recommend penne or another medium-sized noodle 

1 pound of mozzarella cheese, shredded 

3 cup cubed or shredded leftover turkey meat 

7-8 pieces of bacon, chopped into bite size bits 

2 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

3 cups parmesan, shredded 

1 cup tomato, diced 

1 cup onion of choice, diced 

1 cup broccoli, cut to preference 

1/4 cup flour 

8-9 tablespoon butter 

3 tablespoon garlic 

2 tablespoon olive oil 

1 tablespoon garlic powder 

¼ tablespoon onion powder 

½ tablespoon oregano 

½ tablespoon basil 

½ tablespoon thyme 

1 teaspoon sage 

1 teaspoon black pepper 

Nonstick baking spray 

Optional: 1/4 cup white wine; I used $5 Chardonnay, and thought the wine flavor was noticeable. 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 425F, and spray a large baking or casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. 

In a separate large sauce pot, combine the whipping cream, 1 ½ cups parmesan 2 tablespoons of garlic, and seasonings. Bring the ingredients to a low boil; stir frequently until the cheese has begun to melt.  

Once the cheese has begun to melt, slowly add the flour. This will allow the sauce to begin thickening; the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools later. Slowly add wine or special additives for the sauce at this time.  

In a separate pot, begin boiling the water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a boil, add the noodles, a tablespoon of garlic, and a tablespoon of olive oil. Allow them to continue boiling until the noodles are tender, then strain. 

After the sauce and noodles have both been prepared, add the noodles to the baking dish. Then add the butter, broccoli, bacon, onion, tomato, and any additional vegetables that have been selected. Thoroughly mix the blend together in the dish.   

Finish preparing the dish for baking by adding parmesan and mozzarella on top. The cheese should be spread evenly over the dish, forming a light layer. Adding too much cheese can cause the dish to become greasy.  

Once all of the ingredients are in the baking dish, place the dish in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes. Rotate the dish to help ensure even cooking, then bake the pasta for another 15 minutes or until the cheese on top begins to turn golden brown.  

Allow this cheesy pasta to cool for approximately 5 minutes before serving.   

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