Good Food Friday: Perfect Kale Chips

Heard of them? Maybe... Tried them? You should! I love kale unconditionally but kale chips? How could I not at least try. So while the recipe is nothing new or original (basically just olive oil, salt and your favorite kale) I just wanted to let you know that indeed the recipe deserves the attention it is getting. Easily successful if you have a watchful eye. Here is how it goes...

Sigh... kale at sunset. Beautiful, huh?

Gather a bunch of kale. Like tons. This stuff cooks down so if you want enough to serve more than yourself and another lucky soul get two grocery store bunches. If you are growing it in your backyard, get about twenty stems.

Rip the leafy parts off the hard stems. Big pieces, about the size of my palm worked for me. Toss them in a large bowl to accumulate.

Drizzle with olive oil. Start with a little and use a rubber spatula to scrape and toss the kale with the oil. The goal here is to get all the kale lightly glistening with oil and not so much that they are greasy. I know, it's a fine line, you will find what works. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. (Some recipes here get fun and add garlic or cheese or spices. I've tried cheese and was mildly disappointed so I'm just going to keep it simple.)

Distribute kale evenly on many baking sheets. This batch of mine took four. Yes four. Seems like a lot but by the time it was said and done I ended up with a medium sized mixing bowl of kale chips.

Place kale in a preheated 250* oven. After 15 minutes pull them out and check them. Chip by chip and leaf by leaf. Pull off the ones that are already firm and crispy or just about there (they will hold their shape when picked up basically). Then there will be some that are still very soft and flexible. These require a couple more minutes in the oven. Condense the kale on your baking sheets (by this time I was down to two) and stick them back in the oven for 5 more minutes.

So there you have it. Very specific directions of how to succeed. I think the greatest improvement of this version and most others is the lower oven temperature. Much less risk of the super crumbly over cooked kale chips. And don't worry about if some do get too crispy. Save them to crumble and sprinkle on soups or salads. Nothing goes to waste.

(Insert picture of gorgeous kale chips being gobbled by curious guests...)

Sorry no finished product picture. It's becoming an unfortunate habit of mine. Taking too many before and during photos and having no proof of end results. But trust me, they look like every other kale chip photo out there. Just fewer burnt ones... and I'd be willing to bet that this recipe alone could convert you to become one of the unconditional lovers of all thing kale!