Stuffed Collard Leaves

6-8 large collard green leaves

1 lb of ground beef, chicken or turkey

1 onion

2 stalks of celery chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 cups cooked rice

Fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce

1 teaspoon of italian seasoning blend

Cook meat with onion, celery and garlic add tomatoes or tomato sauce and seasoning then mix this with your cooked rice.

Soften your collard leaves by pouring boiling water on them. It won’t take long for them to become pliable so that you can roll them without breaking the stem.

Spoon the rice mixture onto the edge of a leaf and roll it, tuck your ends in while you roll. Stick a toothpick through it to help it stay rolled. Place the stuffed leaves in greased baking dish then cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. You can sprinkle some cheddar cheese on the top at the end if you wish. You can also add more tomato sauce on top of the rolls before baking.

You can substitute any type of filling you like.