Creamy Kale & Sausage Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Here is a delightful use of kale that disguises how terrible it is! Okay, so maybe it isn't terrible, but I definitely bought too much of it and had to find a way to make it a little less offensive. I originally found the recipe here, but made some changes - including the olive oil bechamel I found here. This dish was tasty the first time around, and made fabulous lunch leftovers. We just picked up a couple of sausages from the deli, but really any sausage would do.

To make this, you will need:

• 12 oz fusilli
• 2 savoury cured sausages, sliced
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups of kale, ribbed and chopped (packed)

1. Cook the pasta, keep 1 cup of pasta water for sauce.
2. Cook the sausage in a large skillet on medium-high heat until fat is no longer white (about 10 minutes).
3. Add sun-dried tomatoes and garlic, cook until fragrant (about 5 minutes).
4. Add vegetable stock, stir to combine & let simmer for 15 minutes - prepare the bechamel in the meantime.
5. For the bechamel, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small pot.
6. Add flour while whisking constantly until flour is blonde (about 5 minutes).
7. Add milk while whisking. When boiling, whisk constantly to avoid burning until thickened
8. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese, and add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add kale to the large skillet and mix to cook until kale is tender (about 5 minutes).
10. Add pasta and sauce to the skillet and stir to coat evenly. Add pasta water to desired consistency (I added the whole cup of reserved pasta water for a creamier mix). Enjoy!