Greens, Glorious Greens - KALE!

I always get asked "What do you do with kale?"  The first time it showed up in my basket items I was puzzled too. A friend told me that you can do the same things with it as you can do with spinach, collard greens, chard, etc.  That got me to thinking and I recalled a recipe I came across when I was looking for St. Patrick's Day menu items. (We love to make a big deal about smaller holidays at our house.)  This recipe had kale mixed in with mashed potatoes.  My kids were eager to try it, and they ended up loving it!  Now they love to eat kale and get excited when I tell them it's in something they're eating for dinner. I know it sounds weird, but they do!

Mashed Potatoes with Kale

Potatoes, peeled and cut up how you like them
1/2 to 1 bundle of kale, chopped/shredded
salt, pepper to taste
butter
milk
*mayonnaise ( I always use the olive oil mayo )

Boil potatoes and kale until potatoes are tender. Drain. Add in salt and pepper, butter (if it's a large batch of potatoes I use about 3/4 to 1 stick of butter), and milk ( I use anywhere from 1/4 cup to almost 1/2 cup depending on batch size). Mash ingredients together until they reach desired consistency.  
* A trick I learned from my mother was to add about 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise to the potatoes for a creamier finished product. Sometimes I add it, and sometimes I don't!


Another dish I added kale to was pinto beans and sausage.

Pinto Beans with Sausage and Kale

1 package sausage of your choice (I used kielbasa), cut in small pieces
1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped
1/2 bundle kale, chopped/shredded
1 package dry pinto beans
salt, pepper to taste
additional seasoning as your taste dictates

I used my slow cooker, not crock pot, to brown the onion and kielbasa before adding the water (as called for on the bag of beans), beans, and Kale. Cook for about four hours on high and serve with cornbread muffins and fresh fruit. 

You can adjust the cooking time as needed.

My family really liked this dish and there was nothing left over for my husband's lunch!  I also add kale to soups, casseroles, and even salads.  It doesn't really alter the flavor of those dishes, but adds more nutritional value and variety!

The next time you want to jazz up your soups or mashed potatoes, try kale and see how much you like it!