Crispy Kale Meatloaf

We grew lots of kale in our garden this year and I had find creative ways to use it.  We got hooked on crispy kale as a side dish and after getting tired of crispy kale, I had to find even more innovative ways to use it.  Adding crispy kale to a standard meatloaf recipe lightens up the meatloaf and gives it an interesting tang.  Even if you don't have tons of kale growing in your garden, it's worth buying a bunch of curly kale to try this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Two large handfuls of kale leaves, removed from the stem.
   
• Your standard meatloaf recipe
  (I use 1/3 ground round, 1/3 ground veal, 1/3 ground pork, a few TBS of grated parmesan cheese if you have in on hand, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, panko bread crumbs, grated onion, 2 eggs (beaten), salt and pepper.
   
• A few slices of bacon (optional).

Preparation:

• Wash the kale and dry it in a salad spinner.
• Toss it lightly with olive oil and a little sea salt.
• Spread it evenly on a large baking sheet and bake at 375 deg for about 15 minutes.  Every five minutes, turn it over with tongs so that it crisps evenly.  Watch it closely toward the end of 15 minutes.  It can easily burn.  The kale will shrink down considerably.
• When it is cool, chop it coarsely.
• Mix the kale into the meatloaf ingredients.
• Put into an oblong baking pan and top with a few slices of bacon.
• Bake in a 350 deg oven for about one hour.
• Drain off the excess fat and let the meatloaf sit in the baking pan for about 10 minutes.