COLLARD GREENS

• ½ lb smoked meat
• bunch collards
• hot sauce to taste
• salt, garlic, & pepper to taste
• 8 tbsp butter

Bring 3 qts water to boil. Add seasonings. Reduce to medium. Cut off thick stems only. You can strip leaves completely but our greens are young and tender right now. Stack and roll leaves, cutting into thin strips. Place in water with meat. Add butter. Cook 45-60 minutes. Great with a starch like corn bread. I have an easy, cakey recipe if anyone needs it.

*Paula Deen has a unique recipe for collard wontons!

KALE

• 9 inch pie crust
• ½ lb kale
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• chopped garlic
• 3 cooked Italian sausage
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mozzarella/parmesan
• ½ cup ricotta
• salt & pepper
• ¼ cup light cream
• egg wash

This recipe actually calls for 1 lb of kale and I cut it down to accommodate your order, which has about a ½-lb of kale. You might want to add some extra greens if you have them and increase the recipe amounts. Partially bake off the crust per packaging instructions. Blanch kale just to bring up color. Squeeze off water and rough chop. Sauté with ½ of the butter over high heat to evaporate the  water. Set aside. Use same pan and sauté onions with remaining butter until wilted. Add garlic and stir for a minute. Combine with kale. Cool.

Slice sausage into ¼” pieces. Combine eggs, cheeses, salt & pepper, and cream. Fold in kale and sausages. Pour into pie shell and cover with additional piecrust. Crimp the edges. Cut slits into top. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

GREEN GARLIC from S. Patton

• 1 lb. green garlic
• ½ lb peeled potatoes
• 2 med. onions
• ¼ lb unsalted butter
• 2 qts. chicken broth
• salt

Cut garlic into half circles. Use lower couple of inches of green stalk. Dice onion. Melt butter in heavy bottomed pot, add onion, and cook until softened. Salt, add garlic and potatoes. Cook for five minutes in the butter. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender. Serve chunky or puree.

ESCAROLE

• 1 egg
• 1lb ground beef
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tsp garlic
• salt & peppe
• 2 qt beef broth
• 1/3 cup pasta
• 1 ½ lb escarole

Beat egg and combine with ground meat, breadcrumbs, ¼-cup cheese, parsley, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Form into ¾-inch meatballs. Heat broth to boiling and drop in the meatballs and the pasta. Cover pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

Chop escarole into large chunks. Uncover the simmering pan and drop in escarole after 15 minutes. Cook for 10 more minutes or until escarole is wilted and tender. Serve with remaining cheese.

You could add diced carrots or celery. You could exchange potatoes for the pasta.