A Hungry Bear

braised collards and kale

We’re getting a ton of collards and kale from our farm share every week, and I keep preparing them this way. I hope I don’t get sick of it, since it’s the only way I really know how to make greens. The little bit of bacon grease gives so much flavor to this dish, and cooking them over low heat for as long as possible makes the greens really tender.

Grocery list: head of kale, bunch of collards, one small onion, 1-2 garlic cloves (optional), chicken stock, bacon grease. (more…)

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dinner with the marshes: sausage and pepper pasta

Last month I had the good fortune to work a few days at the home office of my coworker and his wonderful family. I have heard about his sausage and caramelized bell pepper pasta before, and even attempted to make it once. But I was WAY off… And it wasn’t just the view of the California mountains, lakes and state park we overlooked on the patio eating it, but it really did taste 1000 times better. My original interpretation of the dish didn’t capture the sweetness of the peppers, or the ground fennel. So when I went home, it was a top cooking priority to make this the right way. And I think the Marsh family would be proud (well, at least of the final dish, probably not my view of our condo complex)!

Grocery list: one pound Italian sausage (3-4 links), 3/4 pound dried pasta, 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, 4-5 garlic cloves, 5-6 bell peppers, olive oil, sugar, salt. (more…)

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