Swiss Chard & Onion Pasta

This post is as much about the perfect afternoon, as it is about a delicious meal.  The pasta was easy to prepare ahead of time making it just right for a summer picnic.  Feta lends creaminess, caramelized onions a dose of sweetness, and swiss chard nutrient-rich goodness. I've added it to my go-to pasta list and hope you do too.

If only I could do the same with the afternoon, re-creating it whenever I pleased! Great friends in town, two new babies meeting for the first time and a sunshine-filled picnic. Here are my two guys, incognito, enjoying it.

Swiss Chard & Caramelized Onion Pasta

courtesy of The Kitchn

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 cups chopped white onions
• 8 cups packed chopped swiss chard
• 1 lb whole wheat penne or fusilli
• 1/2 lb crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Water for pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Start pasta water, and when boiling begin cooking it
• Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, saute onions in olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes, til they start to caramelize
• Add chopped greens to the pan, de-glaze with the balsamic vinegar and cook another 10-15 minutes
• Just as the pasta is finishing, add feta to the greens mixture (reduce heat to low) and mix to melt
• Add the pasta to the greens pan, mixing thoroughly with heat for a minute or two
• Salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot or at room temperature 

About Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard, also known as silverbeet, Roman kale or strawberry spinach, is a nutritional powerhouse. Popular in the Mediterranean, the stems are varied in color and can be grilled on their own for a crunchy treat. 

Lauren Lately: Anything but the Kitchen Sink Soup

With winters tentacles firmly rooted, I've been craving and making lots of "cozy" soup dinners.  Warm, thrown together without precision, better served with a hunk of bread... that's Lauren Lately!

Anything but the Kitchen Sink Soup
Ingredients

• 2+ types of veggies, chopped into bite size pieces (Yesterday I used 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and 1 cup of frozen CSA Swiss Chard. Small potatoes and turnips work well too)
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• Protein of choice and/or a can of beans
• Olive Oil
• Stock
• Herbs
• Optional: Parmesan cheese

Directions 

• Saute your onion, and any hardy vegetables in olive oil over medium heat for 4 minutes
• If you are using it, add in the protein (2 crumbled sausages, 1 cup ground turkey, a handful of chicken pieces...) and stirring often continue cooking until warmed or cooked through
• Cover the mixture with stock until everything is just submerged, then add another inch of stock on top
• Add in any beans (kidney, garbanzo, black bean) or leafy vegetables (kale, swiss chard, radish leaves) and a couple sprinkles of herbs (dried or fresh rosemary, thyme, basil)
• Cook over medium low heat for about 20 minutes, checking frequently until your sturdiest vegetable is cooked through
• Optional: add in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese to thicken the broth
• Enjoy with bread or crackers 

Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard Lasagna

Our best couple friends here in New York just had a baby. Wasn't it kind of them to get going on all this just months before we do so we can inundate them with questions at every turn?  I think so!!!  A few weekends ago, I had grand plans to bring over dinner to visit with the baby and catch up with the new parents.... then an icky cold struck me down.

Instead, I ended up baking a meal and dropping it off for the new parents to enjoy.  It included Coconut & Lime's butternut squash and swiss chard lasagna. They confirmed its goodness so I've shared the recipe here. I must admit to being *slightly* chard out with my CSA, so I loved using up a big bunch in such a tasty way.  I've added in a tomato-based top layer, unlike Coconut & Lime's version, simply because I like that kick of acidity.

P.S. You will notice there are no pictures of the final product -- I had them bake it to serve warm.

Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard Lasagna
Courtesy of Coconut & Lime
Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, sliced in half lengthwise and seeds removed
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 lb no-cook lasagna noodles
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped into ribbons
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped or dried sage
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan 
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup of tomato sauce

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F. 
• Brush the butternut squash with a little olive oil. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until fork tender. Allow to cool slightly. Scoop out the insides and mash.  Turn the oven down to 375F. 

• Filling: Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion until fragrant, then add the chard and sage. Saute until the chard is soft, about 3 minutes. Turn off the burner and allow to cool slightly before combining with the ricotta, nutmeg, salt, pepper and paprika.

• Sauce: Melt the butter in a sauce pan.  Whisk in the flour, garlic and a few cranks of salt and pepper. Add the milk and whisk together until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan.

• Assembly: Spread a thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Top with noodles then layer with a layer of squash then the chard-ricotta mixture and drizzle with sauce. Repeat, until out of noodles. 

• Top with 1 cup of tomato sauce & sprinkled Parmesan cheese.  Bake covered for 30-35 minutes . Allow to sit about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.