What's cookin? Collard greens!

There is NOTHING like collard greens! I really don't care how you prepare them, I love 'em! Tonight I made them a smidgen unconventional as I swapped them out in place of mustard greens to go with our turnips. Don't get me started on how much I love turnips! Raw or cooked!

Like I said I didn't have any frozen or fresh mustard greens on hand which is what I'd NORMALLY use, but unseasoned frozen collard greens worked just fine.

*4-6 cups of frozen collard greens (I used just 4 because we're a family of 3)
*1/2 cup of precooked & drained bacon strips (I don't buy those precooked bacon strips you can read a newspaper through that sit in a big yellow box on the corner of isles in the grocery store) I use my own precooked bacon.

The bacon strip pieces in that zip lock yes IN FACT came straight from my freezer. When I pull a pack of bacon out of my freezer I go ahead and cook an entire pack because I'm already using electricity. So I figure lets make it count and prep a future ingredient for a future meal! Bacon was cooked on a cookie sheet for a breakfast two weeks ago and had this remaining, so I let drain, cool, then ziplocked and froze. So tonight I opened the freezer and had my ingredient precooked and at my fingertips! It's all about thinking ahead. Had no idea what I'd use it for, but it was there.
*2 large turnips cut up to the size of your choice (if you're feeding several people cut them smaller)
* 3/4 of chicken stock (I used frozen homemade, but canned or boxed would work just fine)
* salt & pepper to taste, but taste first because bacon has plenty of sodium and rich chicken stock reduces the need for the salt

Basically I heat a pan, placed the frozen collard greens in the pan to dry them out of the ice a bit. Tossed in the precooked/drained and froze ahead bacon. Then tossed in the turnips, frozen chicken stock, and cracked pepper on top. Placed a lid on top of pan and cooked until turnips were tender. I stirred and flipped turnips over with a fork half way through, so they would cook through.


Finished product! We tore through that plate! And if I had a quality camera on hand instead of just my cell phone this would look as appetizing as it was at dinner. I barely cook the collards or mustard greens to keep them nice and dark green!!!!

How many wish their 3yr old would clean a plate of collards, turnips, meatloaf, & butter beans? Cook at home, you'll be suprised what you're kids will eat when you grow your vegetables and let them help cook!
My daughter will hardly eat at a restaurant, and at 2 1/2 she cried in a parking lot asking mommy to go home and eat at home. Melted my heart, but taught me a lesson!

ijustwannagrow