Pasta with Buttered Mushrooms and Wilted Kale

Tender elbow macaroni, dancing in an aromatic broth with parmesan and herbs, and then laced with buttered mushrooms and kale. Oh, and a handful of mozzarella cheese joins the festivities right before the oven finishes things off. I mean c'mon, you know you want some.

Two of Kyle's favorite foods - kale and mushrooms - are the star players in this dish. I love them both too. OK, I confess - Kyle and I devoured this entire casserole. The two of us; the recipe serves four. Thankfully Luke wasn't home or he would have been out of luck.

I'm 100% sure you will devour it too.

About the 'shrooms: I used small cremini mushrooms for this; that's what Kyle and I like the best. You can definitely use other mushrooms, like button, shiitake, portobello, oyster, or a mixture of mushroom varieties.

About the kale: I chose fresh and bright green kale because the slightly bitter flavor balances the earthiness of the mushrooms. You can substitute other greens - I think broccoli rabe (also slightly bitter) and spinach would be fantastic too. The cooking time and temperature remain the same for spinach. If you want to use broccoli rabe, I suggest blanching it first - add it to the boiling water for the macaroni for the last minute of cooking. Easy breezy.

Pasta with Buttered Mushrooms and Wilted Kale

Cooking spray
1 pound large elbow macaroni (you can use the small elbows too, or any pasta shape)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces small cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup beef stock or beef broth, plus more if necessary
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling over top
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray (my dish was 11x7-inches).
Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the oregano, thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder and stir to coat. Cook for 2 more minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the herbs are fragrant. Add the beef stock, pasta, pasta cooking water, and kale and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the kale wilts slightly. Fold in the parmesan cheese. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more beef stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and top with the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese over top.
Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes (if the foil will touch the cheese, spray it with cooking spray first, so it doesn't stick). Uncover and bake for 5 to 7 more minutes, until the cheese melts.

Serves 4