quilting, parents, garden, dinner

[tielan]

A quilt top to be made this weekend: 3:10 to Mendocino

Parentals are coming for dinner, and I'm going to cook up the garden vegies I haven't yet managed to eat: broccoli leaves, swiss chard, and some of my new potatoes.

One of the problems with chard is that I'm not entirely sure what to do with it - it wasn't a staple of my childhood vegies, so I've never really cooked with it before. However, I planted a couple of seeds out and the things have gone monster-sized, sprouting leaves all over the place.

So I'm going to try this recipe: Swiss Chard With Honey Roasted Garlic.

Current garden pic:



Yes, it's a mess. no, I haven't worked out if I'm planting in circles or rows right now. But I'll need to work that out pretty fast because the cucumbers and pumpkin seeds have sprouted and are well on their way to CRAZY. The tomatoes, too - I swear, every tomato seed in my compost has geminated. EVERY TOMATO SEED.

Ideally, I'd really like to grow them up the trellis over the driveway...the one that doesn't yet exist because the builder hasn't gotten back to us. I might have to drop him another text and see where our quote's gone.

Comments

[theladyscribe]

Swiss chard is really good as a substitute for spinach and beet greens in most recipes! It sautes really nicely (better than spinach, I think) and is good cooked in butter or oil (or bacon fat!). Baby chard is also really good in salads, especially if you've got the more colorful varieties.

[tielan]

Ooh, good idea. :) Except that since the stepfather is looking at healthier options, I think the butter or bacon fat may be out, alas...

Ooh, baby chard in salads - it's a good idea! (I have little sproutlings that are growing off the main stalks - like mini chard off the main chard...)

[thothmes]

My husband is a chard fan. His approach:

Chop and sauté onions.

Cook bacon (we use turkey bacon, and microwave it because I am not allowed the real thing), break into bits. Substitute shreds of deli ham for bacon if necessary.

Add chopped chard to onions and continue to sauté.

Add bacon/ham garnish, and sprinkle with vinegar.

Serve.