What to do if you are left with too many cooked collard greens, after making Lasagna with Collard Greens?
I had a lot of left over collard greens after preparing the recipe for Lasagna with Collard Greens, that had recently been featured on this web site. Always the girl scout, in that I like to be prepared for all possibilities, I bought a bit extra of those big, leafy green fronds. This was in case some of the leaves in the bunch to be used for the lasagna recipe, turned out to be less than stellar. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. Thus this recipe for easy peasy, cheesy, saucy, collard green casserole was invented.
Make baked collard greens with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese, of course! I like to call this dish, Cheesy, Saucy, Collard Greens Casserole.
Not wanting the extra blanched collards to go to waste, I started off by placing the left-over leaves in a baking dish. I then spooned a layer of tomato sauce over the collard greens. Some shredded smoked mozzarella soon followed. The mozzarella was topped with a bit more sauce. The dish was finished off by sprinkling some grated parmesan on top. I baked the dish in the oven during the last twenty minutes baking time of the lasagna. The smoked mozzarella really enhanced the flavor of the collards and tomato sauce. This dish was a hit at our family lunch, and was served in addition to the lasagna, along with some nibbley sides, like roasted artichoke hearts, an olive mix, and sun dried tomatoes, from our local Italian food specialty store, Russos. And bread, of course, always bread, preferably a baguette. In this case, a braided semolina with sesame seeds. Dan immediately proceeded to make sandwiches, using the contents of the casseroles. If there is a sandwich to be made, Dan is the man to make it.
Always the Girl Scout...
Actually, I was originally a Brownie before I went up to the big leagues, and finally became a bonafide Girl Scout. How I hated the brown drab scratchy uniform of the Brownies, with beanie, brown socks, and oxford shoes. Girl Scouts had the air of being so grown up, compared to we, newbie, grade school, Brownies. I longed to wear the brighter green uniform of the Girl Scouts, and envied the Miss America kind of sash they wore to their meetings. These days, it would be much easier to find the pieces I wanted online, little ambitious ones today can find sites like http://www.pussyfootsocks.com.au/socks-for-comfort/bamboo-socks.html that hold similar items and build an outfit. It was not so easy in my day, oh how upset I would get at my perceived unfairness. Their across the chest sashes were covered with colorful round embroidered badges, one for each of their accomplishments while being a scout. I was never sure about what the purpose of being a member of the Brownies was, except that it prepared you to become a Girl Scout. It seemed like a glorified militaristic play group. Meetings started with the group lining up and having our nails and hair inspected, along with the neatness of our uniforms. Heaven help you if your uniform was not ironed. We did get to play, and would often bake and eat snacks. Eventually, I got to fly up, along with my friends, and become a Girl Scout. It made me feel more grown up, although I don't think I ever really got it. I liked the idea of getting badges, but didn't like the work it took to earn the badges. I think I could have used a lot more guidance and supervision. I went through the ritual of selling Girl Scout cookies, but could not compete with friends whose families called all their relatives and business customers, and wound up selling their entire quota of cookies, if not more. I actually do remember going door to door with a friend to sell cookies. No mother in their right mind, in this day and age, would ever let their daughters go door to door to apartment buildings where they did not know the residents, in order to try to sell boxes of cookies. Needless to say, I was not a Girl Scout for long. However, I still have a thing for their Samoas, and my husband has a jones for Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies. Some things never change.
Dear Reader, do try this recipe for Cheesy, Saucy Collard Greens Casserole...
Dear Reader, I hope you will try the original recipe for Lasagna with Collard Greens, as well as this one which employs the extra collards. I think that the Lasagna with Collard Greens actually makes for a light lasagna, as it only has ricotta cheese, and no mozzarella. The smoked mozzarella employed in making the Cheesy, Saucy, Collard Greens Casserole makes for a nice contrast to the baked lasagna, and enhances the flavor of the collards. While using similar ingredients, the difference in the cheeses used in each, makes for dishes with distinctly different flavors. Enjoy!
Cheesy, Saucy Collard Greens Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 bunch collard greens
- tomato sauce
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Layer collard greens onto oiled baking dish. Follow with layers of tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, more tomato sauce, and top with grated parmesan cheese.
-
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Cheeses should be melted and sauce and cheese should have bubbled a bit.
Gary Goff
Having grown up in the South, I’m fond of collards. Mostly as a vegetable side dish – chopped, boiled, with some meat flavoring (usually ham hock, salt pork, or bacon). Our son-in-law the fisherman makes the best I’ve ever tasted. I’m more than willing to expand my range and will try this.
Interesting to hear you describe the Brownies as “militaristic.” That was certainly the origin of the Scouts. I think maybe the Girl Scouts and Brownies have changed over the decades as a result of the women’s movement.
Bar49
Hi Gary,
I love collards usually cooked with some meat such as ham hock, salt pork, or bacon, as you have noted in your comment. I often indulge by buy buying take-out at local rib stores in the neighborhood. They usually carry this item on their menu, as a side to the ribs. With this recipe, I was trying for a lighter, vegetarian note, using cheese for flavoring, instead of meat. Although, the smoky mozzarella comes across to me as giving a similar taste to the dish. The collard greens at our food coop look so lusciously big and healthy, that I would like to learn to cook more collard dishes and incorporate them into my repertoire.
Yes, I do think the the Girl Scouts and younger groups of that organization have changed since my days of being a member, which is a good thing. I suppose that there was some value in being taught how to dress and groom properly, but the manner in which it was carried out at the time, felt demeaning. I sorry I did not stay a member long enough to go on camping trips. I think that might have been fun, and a good life skill to learn.
Hope you enjoy trying the collard greens recipes. Both taste great!
Best Regards,
Barbara
Elena
I'm going to make this to warm up during this final wintery week!
Bar49
Good idea! I was feeling bad about not writing about early spring foods. There are peas in the pod at the food coop. But today's weather- Brrr!