Sausage & Kale Stew

Steven and I have a Saturday/Sunday morning tradition: wake up and watch the Cooking Channel & Food Network. Not both at once, but we flip flop between shows. Saturday we were watching Giada and she made this yummy sounding stew with chicken sausage and kale. I was intrigued. We made it last night and I told my insta-g frands that I'd share the recipe! It was so good, especially since the temps were in the 20's yesterday and the wind was miserable. Here's what you need:

Vegetable oil cooking spray

2 Tbs. EVOO

2 medium fennel bulbs, outer layers removed, chopped (we used 1 large one)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

One 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

One 15 oz. can of cannellini beans

One 10-oz bunch of kale, center rib removed, leaves chopped

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

4 turkey or chicken italian sausage links (we used turkey sausage-hot!--NOT the pre-cooked chicken sausage kind. Gross!)

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a grill pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onion, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes (plus juices), beans, kale and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the kale has wilted, 25 to 30 minutes.
While the stew is cooking, place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Add the sausages and grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Cool and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the cooked sausage slices. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spoon the stew into bowls and serve.

We sprinkled with a little parmesean cheese and it was yummy! It came out a bit spicy with a bite. Sort of like an italian chili, I would imagine. 

My leftovers are calling my name today.

xo,

SugarMeg