Here's the baked kale recipe. Best served immediatley out of the oven IMO, but actually stays somewhat crisp if cooled before storing in sealed container. Watch it closely! It goes from "not done" to "burnt" very quickly!! Don't ask how I know this... Baked Kale 2 cups fresh kale leaves Olive oil nonstick spray Dash salt, or more to taste Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place kale leaves on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil nonstick spray. Spritz leaves with the nonstick spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven until crispy, 5 - 8 minutes, for a potato-chip-like snack. If you like, season to taste with additional salt. Eat up! MAKES 1 SERVING PER SERVING (entire recipe): 64 calories, 1g fat, 212mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 0g sugars, 4.25g protein -- PointsPlus� value 0* **Deanna's notes** I tear the leaves into about 2"x2" chunks. Add a bit of garlic powder or other powdered seasonings (cayenne, onion, thyme, etc.) if you like.

I bet the brisket with prunes on it was a Jewish tzimmes recipe. Here are two brisket recipes I use. The first one, which is much simpler, I got from the lady who runs the kitchen at our synagogue. I often add prunes and/or apricots, and usually potatoes and carrots. The second one is a little bit more work, but it is fantastic. Brisket 5-10 lb. Brisket 2 8-oz. Jars apricot preserves 2 packets dried onion soup 2 T ginger salt, pepper, and garlic ppowder optional: prunes, potatoes (peeled and cut up), and/or carrots (scraped and cut up) Mix jam, soup mix, and ginger in a bowl. Add ¼ cup water. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the brisket and pour garlic powder on it. Rub sauce mixture all over roasting pan and brisket. Add prunes, potatoes, and/or carrots. Cover tightly and bake 350 for 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours. Remove from pan and slice. Spoon some of the gravy over it. Cover again and bake another 30 minutes before serving. *** BEEF BRISKET WITH MERLOT AND PRUNES 1 4-to 4 1/2-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, trimmed of most fat 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted) 1 cup Merlot or other dry red wine 2 pounds onions, sliced 4 medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced 16 garlic cloves, peeled 1 1/2 cups pitted large prunes (about 8 ounces) 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon prune juice 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Pat brisket dry; sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy extra-large skillet over high heat. Add brisket and cook until deep brown, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer brisket, fat side up, to large roasting pan. Add tomatoes with juice and wine to skillet. Remove from heat, scrape up any browned bits, and pour mixture over brisket. Distribute onions, carrots, and garlic around brisket. Add prunes and thyme; drizzle with 1/2 cup prune juice and 3 tablespoons vinegar. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place pan over 2 burners and bring to boil. Cover pan with heavy-duty foil; place in oven. Braise brisket until tender, about 3 hours 15 minutes. Uncover and cool 1 hour at room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with foil and chill. Bring just to simmer over 2 burners before continuing. Remove brisket from roasting pan, scraping off juices. Place on work surface; cut across grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Spoon off fat from top of pan juices. Place 1 cup vegetables (no prunes) and 1 cup braising liquid from pan into processor and puree. Return puree to pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon prune juice and 1 teaspoon vinegar to pan. Heat sauce; season with salt and pepper. Overlap brisket slices in 13x9x2- inch glass baking dish. Pour sauce over brisket, separating slices to allow some sauce to flow between. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm brisket, covered, in 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle brisket with parsley; serve. More info: Use a slender metal pin, like a turkey lacer, to check whether the brisket is tender. Insert the pin into the thickest part; if it meets no resistance, the brisket is done.

A note about the bitterness of kale: I'm more sensitive to it than many people I know. The trick, for me, for an ordinary chicken soup, rather than something highly flavored, is to put the kale in just a few minutes before serving, so it's well wilted but hasn't started dissolving into the soup. I don't like it when the chicken broth tastes like kale, but it's good with the kale swimming in it with the other vegetables (definitely better with carrot and/or potato chunks to be sweet against the bitterness of the kale).

Okay, I've seen the High Line in a children's book, and do get the part about TJ's being far. The rest could have as easily been about Kamchatka, given how much I know about New York. :) TJ's has things that come and go, so if you're making a special trip, it might be worth calling ahead. I do the same with kale, in the low oven, but I cut out the heavy stems. Can't do it with kale sprouts, so did the hotter. They were probably too hot, but they got nice and crunchy. :) Your toasted garnish sound great! I was thinking more of the little shreds of veg that you're supposed to eat with the meat, which they also call garnish, but so much better yet to make the decorative bits into a snack! I think plenty of people in New York, at least among the people I know, are more like you with the less amount of meat. It's the chefs who don't get it! Or maybe not even the chefs there, but the ones who come here from there--maybe their fare wasn't what the New Yorkers wanted anyway. Or maybe an Eastern thrift thing of if you're paying $$$ or more, it should be for something with Calories. :) The French and German chefs seem to have at least a good acquaintance with vegetables. The Italians--the fine dining chefs here here--use them in the cooking, but it seems if you want one to actually bite into, it's in a salad, and the Brits promise all kinds of delightful veg, but it's really just a smear of puree meant to be eaten with the meat (high class substitute for ketchup) with a few micro greens and three twigs for color on top. The other fun thing that TJ's had this last year was "heirloom red spinach". I love that they're getting in these oddities, half cleaned and ready to use. :) I admire your vegetable garden. I have herbs and peppers, but I'm not a great gardener, and am not ready to commit to vegetables. Are there any you're planting now for the Spring?