Sausage and Kale Stew with Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

1 lb sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed and broken into pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup water
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 small bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves torn (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for serving

1. Combine the sausage, onion, tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, garlic, 1 cup water, and 3/4 tsp each salt and pepper in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.  Nestle potatoes in the liquid and top with the kale.
2. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.  Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl.  Add the milk, oil, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper to the bowl and mash.
3. Serve the stew topped with the mashed potatoes.  Drizzle with more olive oil, if desired.

Source: Real Simple magazine, November 2013

Try #1 - February 8, 2014
So, this was not as good as I had hoped.  The kale turned out pretty chewy, and there wasn't as much flavor as I would have liked.  I think I'll stick to some of my other kale and sausage recipes.

Squash Lasagna

2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or purchased
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
2 cups roasted winter squash
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In the bottom of an 8×10 casserole, spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and top with three lasagna
noodles.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, salt and pepper together until foamy. Add the roasted squash and beat it into the egg until combined. Don’t worry if there are a few lumps.
4. Sprinkle the thyme and the Parmesan into the squash mixture and mix well. Spread the mixture over the lasagna noodles in the pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
5. Layer another 3 noodles in the casserole and top with 1 cup of marinara sauce. Place the remaining 3 noodles in the dish and spread the last 1/2 cup of sauce over the top of them.
6. Finish the lasagna with 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Top with 5-7 roasted tomatoes, if you wish.
7. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the sides of the lasagna are bubbling.
8. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Source: Let's Eat!