This week’s recipe features Kale Chips courtesy of Jenni!
I love making these on lazy Sunday afternoons. Kale chips are super easy to make and satisfy the need to munch on something in the middle of the day.
My process is a little tedious but it’s well-worth it in the end — I usually have some music or a movie going on in the background.
Rinse the kale leaves and make sure they’re clean. With a paper towel, pat them dry individually to remove all moisture. Wet leaves will burn in the oven. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut the stems from the leaves. To make it easier and more efficient, I cut the leaf in half and remove the stem that way. Place all halves in a large bowl. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over top of the leaves. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a generous amount of fresh-ground black pepper. Add whatever spice combination you like. My favorite has been a blend of cumin, paprika and cayenne.
This is where is gets messy and tedious. Wash hands thoroughly and remove any jewelry. Start mixing the bowl of leaves with the spices and oil. Rub each leaf so that it gets oil over all of it. Depending on your bunch of kale, this could take a while. I usually start preheating the oven right about now. The oven should be set at 325° F. Once you’ve covered every kale leaf, start placing them on your cookie sheets. Don’t overcrowd them and make sure they’re as flat as can be. Time will vary depending on the oven but my golden number has been 9 minutes. In my kitchen 10 minutes will burn them and 8 will leave them chewy.
All the leaves may need to be baked in several batches so use this time to catch up on emails, load up the laundry, wash the dishes, or (if you’re like me) google “cute baby animals” and spend your time ooh’ing and awww’ing.
Eat straight from the oven or refrigerate for later!
