Day #3 - Pinterest Week

I know you have been waiting for day #3 of Pinterest Week.  
Drum roll please….Day #3 is….

Garlicky Swiss Chard and Chickpeas
from:  Foodie Crush

Garlicky Swiss Chard and Chickpeas


I cooked this up as a yummy side with some marinaded flank steak and a baked sweet potato. 

Sweet potato secret:  Sprinkle some cinnamon on top.  Mmmmmm...It's hard to decide if it a dessert of part of the dinner.

The verdict:  Pin It!










Both DD#2 and DH voted this the best swiss chard recipe ever - even better than the ones I've made with bacon - what?!  Although, both agreed that adding a little bacon would not have hurt this recipe, either.  :-)

Cooking the chard in chicken broth helped make it nice and tender and mellow tasting.  The garlicky flavor and the salty feta really made it pop.  Definitely a do-over!

Changes I made:

• I used one large bunch of Swiss Chard instead of two (That Sunday night shopping trip left us with sad pickin' in the chard department.)  
• Because a big pile of chard cooks up to nothing, I added a big box of baby spinach to make enough to serve 4.  If you want enough to serve 4, get 2 bunches of chard like the recipe calls for.  It will look like a ton, but - I promise - cooks down A LOT.
• I used some of the stems.  You can see the little red beauties in the top picture above.  I really hate to waste them and they taste really good if you cook them right.  I cut them on the diagonal and added them to the pot.  It calls for the chard to simmer for 15 minutes in the broth and that is plenty of time for those skinny jem-bright stems to get to just the right barely soft texture.

If you've never tried Swiss Chard, this is a great starter recipe.  Mild chard flavor that lets the other bold flavors shine through.  

So 3 new Pinterest experiments in 3 days and 3 wins!  I'd call that a success!

Another new Pinterest adventure tomorrow…Until then!

More Farmer's Market Treasures

Tonight was one of our favorite meals - Swiss Chard, Potato and Parmesan Frittata.  I got the beautiful rainbow chard at the farmer's market on Saturday and it really needed to be used tonight.  So I pulled out the trusty recipe that I found on Susan Russo's Food Blogga site.  And here is the beautiful result!  A hit every time!

Swiss Chard, Potato, and Parmesan Frittata

Served with a mixed greens and herb salad with strawberries, blueberries and some slivered almonds, it is the perfect dinner for the hot weather we have been having here in NoVA.

Swiss Chard, Potato and Parmesan Frittata

1 small red potato, diced

1 small bunch Swiss chard, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups - I use more)

1-2 teaspoons olive oil

1 shallot or small yellow onion

6 eggs (Egg Beaters or whites are also fine)

1 tablespoon each fresh basil and parsley, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

a few dashes of salt

1/4 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese 

(I use whatever is in the cheese drawer.  Tonight it was some shredded pepper jack)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided

Par boil the potatoes by cooking them in a small pot of boiling water for 3 minutes or until barely fork tender.  Spoon the potatoes out into a bowl and put the swiss chard in the potato water to steam/wilt for about 2 minutes.  Drain the chard and press to get some of the water out.  

Over medium-low heat, add olive oil to an 8 inch non-stick skillet.  Add shallots and potatoes; saute until golden brown, about 5 min.  Add swiss chard and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a small bowl; add fresh basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, mozzarella, and half the parmesan cheese and gently whisk until well combined.  Pour the egg mixture into the skillet.  With a fork, gently move the egg mixture from side to side as it begins to cook to ensure that it cooks evenly.  Do this until the eggs start to solidify and a crust begins to form around the edges.  This take about 5-8 minutes.  Give the pan handle a jiggle and when the eggs appear nearly set, remove the pan from the stove top.

Sprinkle the top of the frittata with remaining half of parmesan cheese and place under the broiler.  (Be sure that your pan has an oven-proof handle or wrap it in foil to protect it.)  Broil for 4-5 minutes, or until the top begins to puff up and turns golden brown.  Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.  Once nicely browned, let cool for a couple of minutes before slicing.  

Serve hot or at room temperature.  Enjoy your summer time feast!

Bonus post:  

Last night I got treated to dinner at my sister's house.  She made some amazing Thai-spiced Red Snapper.  

Doesn't that look like something from a fancy restaurant!  How lucky am I to have my sis right down the street!  

Oh...I found the freezer paper at Shopper's Food Warehouse this afternoon while I was replenishing our poor empty fridge.  So...I should be able to make some progress on the crazy pieced pillow tomorrow. I have a few errands to run in the morning then I'm going to try to carve out a bit of time for sewing.  The first week of summer is always a big catch-up week for me.

Hope everyone is staying cool in the heat!