Writing this post is bittersweet; I want to share with you how yummy these caesar kale chips are, but I am reminded this was our last kale harvest of the summer. Having a garden has been such a joyous, rewarding pastime, and the end-of-summer harvests are just so incredibly bountiful (w’re currently up to our ears with tomatoes). The harvests are also a constant reminder that summer is coming to an end. I do love Autumn, but the end of each season is always a bit heartbreaking for me. I’m trying to learn how to cherish where we are presently, rather than prematurely mourn its loss or too eagerly yearn for what’s next.

I’ve been so spoiled by our garden this summer…whenever I’m unsure what to make when dinnertime rolls around, I walk out back and pick whatever’s ripe. And we have that for dinner. Last night, I made pasta with a simple sauce of onions and garlic sautéed in olive oil, and then I added chopped tomatoes at the last minute, to absorb some of the flavor and to heat them up a bit. It was so scrumptious, and I will probably make a few batches of sauce to freeze!

But I digress. Back to the kale chips. The caesar dressing recipe is a slightly modified version that my family has been making for ages. I blogged about it once before, and will probably reblog that recipe sometime soon (because, hello 2011.). These chips are dangerous, because an entire tray can disappear in about 15 seconds. They’re delicious and healthy and [arguably] a much better alternative to my weakness, the potato chip.

Ingredients
1 bunch kale
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of salt and pepper
pecorino romano, sliced with vegetable peeler

Directions
Preheat oven to 300. Wash and thoroughly dry kale leaves. Tear to about 3-inch pieces and place in medium mixing bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients in small bowl then drizzle over kale leaves. Toss to coat evenly, then place kale leaves on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, tossing them once. Watch carefully, because they can burn very fast. You want them to be crispy and slightly curled, but not blackened. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Enjoy warm or cooled!