Turkey Cabbage Bake

Okay, here's the thing about cabbage. It's 1) cheap 2) keeps good at least twice as long as lettuce and 3) good for you.

The problem? What on earth do you put it in besides coleslaw? Especially if you're married to a coleslaw hater? Well, one answer is African Stew, but I'll tell you right now it doesn't use that whole dang head of cabbage.

Then I found this gem of a recipe. What I love about this recipe is that the cabbage is ground up so finely that even cabbage-haters will never even know it's there. Brilliant. The other thing I love about this recipe is that it's delicious!

Now every time I make African Stew, my follow-up meal is Turkey Cabbage Bake. And my coleslaw hater cheers for both of them.

Turkey Cabbage Bake

Adapted from Taste of Home

1 tube (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1 C. diced fresh mushrooms
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 1/2 C. finely chopped carrot
1 tsp. minced garlic
3 C. finely chopped cabbage (I used a salad-shooter, but you can also use a cheese grater--use the larger hole size--or just slice it very finely with your knife)
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (optional)
Seasoned salt and pepper

1) In a large skillet, cook the turkey, mushrooms, onion, and carrot over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. 
2) Add the cabbage, soup and thyme. Pour into a sprayed 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan; sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper; sprinkle with cheese if desired.

3) On a lightly floured surface, press second tube of crescent dough into a 13-in. x 9-in. rectangle, sealing seams and perforations. Place over casserole.
4) Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 14-16 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Yield: 6 servings.