Kielbasa And Kale Mac And Cheese Recipes

KIELBASA AND KALE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the macaroni. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until very hot, about 1 minute. Add the kale and 1/4 cup water, cover and let cook until wilted and just tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover, toss the kale, and continue cooking until all of the water has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the kale to a medium bowl and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender and begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the kielbasa and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour, stir to coat and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the milk and kale and bring to a boil; add the cheese a few handfuls at a time and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the cheese has completely melted, about 2 minutes.
• Stir the macaroni into the cheese mixture until evenly coated; remove from the heat. The sauce will look very loose but will thicken off the heat.

BIG RAY'S WHITE BEAN, KALE, AND KIELBASA SOUP

Steps:

• Roll kale leaves into tight tubes and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir kielbasa in hot oil until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir green onion with sausage; cook until onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add kale; cook and stir until kale wilts, about 3 minutes.
• Pour chicken broth over kielbasa mixture; add beans and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer until kale is completely tender, about 15 minutes. Season mixture with salt and pepper and top with Parmesan cheese.

CHEESY STOVETOP MAC WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pot or a very large, deep skillet over medium-high, then add the onion, kale and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale has cooked down and the onion is smaller in size, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until it loses its pink color, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the red-pepper flakes, sprinkle with salt and give everything a good stir. Add the chicken broth and pasta and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, place a lid on the pan and cook until the pasta is soft but still has some bite to it, about 10 minutes. Be sure to check on the pasta and stir every now and again. (The sauce will have thickened from the starch in the pasta.)
• Add the cheese and hot sauce and mix well. Add salt and additional hot sauce to taste before serving.

MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH KALE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 3/4 cups of the cooking water and then drain. Set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the kale and garlic and cook, stirring, until the kale begins to wilt. Add 1/2 cup of water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale wilts and is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Carefully wipe out the saucepan. Bring the half-and-half, cayenne and nutmeg to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Gradually whisk in the Cheddar and Havarti cheeses, a handful at a time, until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Add the cooked pasta and reserved cooking water to the sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the kale and season with additional salt and pepper. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH KALE AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.
• Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms are lightly browned in spots and softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the kale, garlic and 1/2 cup of water, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Cook until the kale is wilted but still crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
• Carefully wipe out the saucepan (or give it a quick rinse if it is really dirty). Add the half-and-half and cayenne and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Add the macaroni and reserved pasta water to the saucepan and stir to combine. (The mixture will look very loose, but the pasta will suck up a lot of the sauce as it bakes.) Gently fold in the reserved vegetables. Season to taste with additional salt if needed. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are lightly browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.

CHEESE'S BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook and stir the cut-up kielbasa in a large skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until heated through and beginning to brown. Remove the sausage from the skillet, and set aside.
• Fill a pan with lightly salted water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-low heat, and cook and stir the chopped onion for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook and stir the butter, onion and flour for 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux, and remove from the heat. Whisk in the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all the milk has been incorporated, and return to low heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to finish cooking the flour. Whisk in the Cheddar cheese, a few cubes at a time, until all the cheese has been incorporated and the sauce is hot and smooth.
• Pour the macaroni into the cheese sauce, and stir to combine. Stir in the cooked kielbasa, salt, and pepper.
• Spoon the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crumbs are brown and the casserole is bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes after baking, to set before serving.