VEGGIES: Without opening the packages, add both packages of frozen veggies to the microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove to continue thawing while browning the sausage. Open packages and if there are any overly large pieces of broccoli or potatoes, give them a quick coarse chop to be bite-sized. Set aside for now.
SAUSAGE: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet set to medium high. Once the oil is hot, add in the sausage. Let the sausage sear (brown) before crumbling with a wooden spoon and cooking all the way through. While browning, season to taste with salt and pepper. (I add 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper.)
FINISHING: Once sausage is browned through, drain off excess grease (ifneeded), leaving at least 1 tablespoon behind. Add all veggies to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are heated through and crisp tender-- about 3-5 minutes. Add in the frozen kale, all the seasonings, and minced garlic. Mix until kale is thawed through and the dish smells very fragrant-- about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve. Grate Parmesan on individual plates and enjoy promptly!
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Notes
Note 1: Sausage: Depending on personal preference, use mild or spicy sausage — either works. (When making for my kids, we use mild.) Sausage can come in different-sized packages — as long as you’re in the general ballpark, this recipe will work just fine. We use 1 pound, but if you have a 19-ounce package, throw it all in if you like. You’ll just have a slightly meatier meal. If using Italian sausages with casings, remove the casings before cooking. Note 2:Frozen veggies: This blend of veggies is our absolute favorite -- it has potatoes, red bell peppers, sweet corn, broccoli, and carrots. Occasionally we'll get a bag that has especially large broccoli florets which do need a quick chop to make them more bite-sized. If you can't find this specific blend, grab a similar one!Note 3: Parmesan cheese: Finely grated Parmesan (off a block) is the perfect finishing touch — it adds a nice final seasoning (Parmesan is salty) and melts nicely into the veggies and sausage. For the perfect super-fine texture, we like to use a microplane and grate it right over the serving plates.