Collard Greens Recipe

Hi there! Thanks so much for stopping by! I was in a cooking mood yesterday, so that's what I did...cook! I tried to make something crafty, but only got about a third finished, so that will have to wait. So, for today, I'm sharing my collard greens recipe! I grew up eating turnip greens, but I love collards. I actually learned how to make collard greens by watching Martha Steward one day! I know, really funny! Once, I saw how to prepare them, I used a part of my mom's seasoning secrets and combined them with mine to come up with my own. I love eating my greens with spring/green onions. Didn't I mention how I really like onions? To me, the onion flavor pairs very well with greens. Plus, I get to feel like I'm one healthy something eating "grass!" Bare with me!

First, fill a large pot with water. Slice an onion and add it the water. Add smoked turkey meat to the pot. I used smoked turkey wings, but any other 'part' will also work. Smoked turkey meat is a healthier option to season your greens. I also added salt and crushed red peppers and boiled.

While the water is boiling, I use this time to clean my greens. These are what collards look like, if you haven't seen them before. I fill the large part of my sink with hot water and dump the greens in. Swish the greens around and re-do the process until the water looks 'clean.'

Take a few collards from the sink and layer them together, keeping the stems together at the end. At this time, I break the long stems from each leaf.

Now, I roll the layered collards tightly.

Slice the collards. You can cut down the middle again for more bite size greens. I like to leave the stems on the main part of the greens in tact. I like to think that a lot of nutrients are in the stems.

Place the cut greens in the pot to boil.
I cook on gas, so it doesn't take long for the greens to get done...about 45 minutes. On an electric range, it could take about 1.5 hours, I think!

Here is the finished product...all wilted down! ha

So, do you eat any fresh veggies? Picking up greens at the farmer's market is a great choice in the summer, but the great thing is, I can find them at my local grocer throughout the year. They also have 'shortcut' bags that are pre-cut, similar to those salad bags. I recommend still going through the cleaning process if you use that shortcut option. The good thing is, they're still fresh!

Interested in the macaroni and cheese and the oven fried chicken tenders recipes? I'll share them tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!