Mundane to Insane

Ingredients:

• crispy fresh kale

• 3 chicken sausages with wild mushrooms and Italian herbs

• dry vermouth

• small onion

• roasted chickpeas with turmeric honey, toasted sesame oil, and sesame seeds (see separate recipe)

• fresh ground salt and pepper

• 2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 2-3 tbsp. butter/olive oil blend

• 2-3 tbsp. unbleached flour

• ~ ½ cup 2% milk

• 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese + extra sprinkles

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese + extra sprinkles

• 5 slices of sourdough bread, torn into rough cubes

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Preparation:​

1. Tear kale into bite-size pieces, removing tough stems and steam in ½ inch of water in a covered deep sauté pan till wilted and tender; remove from pan and drain well.

2. Cut sausages into ¼-inch slices and sauté in ovenproof pan over medium-high heat in 1- 2 tbsp. olive oil until fully browned, then deglaze pan with vermouth and remove sausages to plate.

3. Medium-chop onion and add with butter/olive oil blend to remaining oil in ovenproof pan and sauté onion until golden brown and tender.

4. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 min.

5. Whisk in milk, blending thoroughly as mixture comes to boil.

6. Stir in salt and pepper.

7. Remove pan from heat and add ½ cup each cheddar and parmesan cheeses, blending into onion mixture.

8. Fold in kale, sausage, and chickpeas.

9. Distribute bread cubes over mixture and top with ½ cup cheddar cheese, sprinkling extra parmesan cheese to make sure all cubes of bread have some cheese on them.

10. Lightly spritz topping with EVOO, using Misto.

11. Bake at 375oF for 30 min. or until bread cubes are golden.