Kale - Sausage Stew (Soup?)

Simple enough.

Get your crock pot. If you don't have a crock pot, buy one. A big one. Hamilton Beach is pretty good - I have this one and love it: http://ift.tt/2bnjAU6

I digress.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of kale. I've found this to be almost exactly the size of a bag of pre-chopped from Aldi. However, your source of kale is up to you. Just make sure it's rinsed, bug-free (unless you love extra protein) and chopped in small pieces (1" x 1" should be good).
• Chicken stock. Use a quart. Again, source doesn't matter - homemade tastes better, but takes longer.
• Water - four cups. *Two cans of fire-roasted tomatoes. *One medium onion - vidalia is nice, but any yellow will do.
• 2 - 4 cloves of garlic or garlic powder (I like the real Costco stuff, but your call here)
• Salt, pepper
• Oh, yeah, and sausage. I prefer the link variety of some off-usual flavor (like chicken-apples, cajun, andouille, etc...you can even use chorizo if you're adventurous). I use 1 - 2 lbs, but you can adjust up or down (or eliminate, if you're going vegan).
• Vinegar - optional. If you're Southern or like Southern greens, a little white or malt vinegar may be required.

Steps:

1. Put the canned tomatoes in the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Add water and chicken stock.
3. Dice onions finely and add.
4. Add garlic or garlic powder.
5. Add salt and pepper.
6. Add (optional Southernizing) vinegar.
7. Stir.
8. Slice sausage and saute briefly to brown, add.
9. Load kale on top.
10. Cook for 6 - 8 hours on low; stir occasionally if you're around.
11. Stir and let sit for an hour on warm if any kale hasn't sunk in and soaked.

Enjoy!

bon appetit