Taking leftovers over the top!

This "recipe" is a leftover meal from my italian sausage and pasta dish. The past month I have been trying to successfully make an over easy egg.(my new favorite way to eat an egg. There is something creamy and delicious about a runny yolk). Anyways, probably close to a dozen eggs have been harmed in the quest to make the perfect egg. I googled my heart out for tips and tricks and tonight I finally mastered! Here is how I made an over easy egg:

Ingredients:
1 egg
salt/pepper
butter or oil, your call(used less then a tbs of butter)
small skillet

I cracked my egg into a small bowl first, to ensure no broken yolk. Sprinkled the egg with s&p. Heated my skillet over medium/low heat. You don't want your pan too hot. Melt your butter coating entire skillet. Slowly pour egg into pan, making sure to off center the egg. Allow to cook 2-3 min or until the white has set. With thin spatula, carefully scoop egg and flip....CAREFUL not to break yolk. No rush, go slow. Once flipped, cook another minute. No more. Now, are you ready to find out what I did with my first over easy egg?!

Reheat your amazing italian sausage pasta dish from last night. Place your egg on top and a sprinkle of parmesan. Oh my goodness guys. This makes ordinary leftovers OVER THE TOP. So good, you have to try it yourself to find out. Cannot tell you how good it is. The yolk breaks over the pasta creating a creamy sauce. It is decadent. Try it. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Italian Sausage and Kale Pasta

Next kale recipe will be an entree. Once again, I saw a recipe today and made it my own. Bad habit. This recipe is super fast, easy, and 5 ingredients(i don't count olive oil and garlic). How about that?! I will tell you exactly what I did tonight so that you can benefit 100%. 

Sausage and Kale pasta:

• 1 cup dry short cut pasta(I used penne, but would recommend a seashell or something smaller)
• 1 bunch of kale(I used curly): devained, washed, and chopped
• sweet italian sausage(I bought a package with 5 links)
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• red pepper flake
• EVOO
• parmesan cheese

Bring pot of water to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving your pasta water.

In large skillet brown ALL 5 sausage links with garlic cloves and a tsp or so of red pepper flake.(how much red pepper you add depends on how much heat you like in a dish, I like a lot of heat. Even if you don't like spice, I highly recommend you add a little pepper flake. The flavor is necessary with the kale) I did not dice my garlic, just smashed whole cloves with my knife. Once brown, put all sausage and garlic in food processor and pulse until finely ground. If you don't have a food processor you can also use a potato smasher to make your sausage fine. Place ground sausage back in skillet and continue to cook. Here is my fun trick: scoop out about 1 cup of your cooked sausage. I put mine in a freezer ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. This is a great go to for a spaghetti sauce or pizza topping! To the remaining sausage in the skillet, add about 2 tbs EVOO to pan along with chopped kale. Stir to combine over medium heat until kale has wilted. Add cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. ( I did not tell you how much cheese because that is 100% up to you) Toss all together and serve! Feel free to top with more yummy cheese! 

Once again, if you have any questions just ask! 

Kale Salad

Oh my goodness it has been far too long! For those of you that don't know, I made a big move from Georgia to Jersey back in November. Big change. It has given me a new appreciation for hospitality, kindness, warm weather, and smiles. No matter what, I will forever be a southern girl. I obviously have still been cooking, just been quite the slacker in posting. So, here are 2 new recipes to start off 2013. I will post one here, and another in a new post. 
Both recipes tonight involve the ever popular "superfood" kale. For the past year I've been attempting to like this veggie that is supposed to be so good for you. On my own I failed. Well a couple of weeks ago, I went to a potluck with a friend and one of the girls brought kale salad. First thought, great, I am with a bunch of health nuts. If you know me, you know that while I eat well, I also like good food. And kale and good food have never been in the same sentence. Being a trouper, as my parents raised me to be, I fixed myself a plate. We;; turns out, it was: DELISH! Not the quickest salad to put together, but so worth it if you ask me. The best part for me is that you are making it from scratch, therefore you can control the ingredients and change them up however you like. Keeping with my blog's theme, this recipe will make 2 good servings. Leftover salad you think, yuck. Bonus of kale: it holds up til the next day, even with dressing on it! So I hope you try this and I also hope you love it as much as I do! 

Kale Salad:

• 1 bunch kale(I used curly kale)
• 1/2 orange
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 small shallot finely diced
• 1/2 apple diced(I used a pink lady....I would use something tart and crunchy)
• 1-2 tbs honey or agave nectar
• splash of balsamic vinegar
• about 1/4 cup EVOO
• pepper to taste
• salt( I prefer kosher salt or fine sea salt)
• 2-3 tbs toasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup feta
• 1/4 cup craisins

In small bowl combine juice of orange and lemon, honey,diced shallot,  olive oil, balsamic, and pepper. Whisk together to form dressing.

WASH(kale is dirty!) and devain kale. Devaining means cutting out the stem from top to bottom. Chop kale into bite sized pieces. In large bowl place kale with generous pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage the kale. Yes, I said massage. You will quickly notice the kale start to change color and almost look sautéed. Continue to massage kale for about 5 minutes. Add diced apple, sunflower seeds, craisins, and feta. Toss all with salad dressing. Great by itself or served as a side. 

Guys, this is so so good. Please try it. Especially you fellow "on the fence" kale lovers out there. This will make you hop the fence! ;)

Feel free to ask any questions!