Experimentation with Chard!

   If you haven't cooked with Swiss Chard, I suggest you do it this summer!  It's delicious!  Swiss Chard was one of the offerings I picked up on my bi-monthly fruits and veggies co-op visit!  For $16.00 Bountiful Baskets fills a small laundry basket completely full of wonderful fruits and vegetables, some of which I wouldn't automatically think of purchasing at the store!  I love the element of surprise when I pick up my baskets.  I can then use my savvy at stealing recipes from the internet creativity and include it in my menus for the week.  OK, usually I just cook one dish--not in conjunction with an entire meal--and call it good. Who am I kidding?  It's the experimentation that is fun!
    I went to the pick-up spot and noticed this huge green leafy bundle, with bright red stems.  I thought it was rhubarb, but the lady told me that it was Swiss Chard. 

Two baskets for each order--One basket is fruit and the other vegetables.  We fill our own containers with both of these baskets.

I'm embarrassed to say I've never cooked Swiss Chard, but I've always intended to!  The leaves are very thick and don't look like they would taste very good in a salad. 

With a few pointers from the internet, I got started.  First I cut up an onion, 2 carrots, and some garlic.  I sauteed these in some bacon drippings until they were tender.  

 I then added some chicken broth and put in the finely chopped red stalks of the chard.  I cooked these until they were tender and lastly added the leaves and cooked them until they wilted!  I added some crumbled bacon, lemon juice and topped it with Parmesan cheese.  

 The result was amazing!  I felt like a chef indeed!  I absolutely love the subtle zingy taste of the chard.  It would be a great addition to any Italian meal!
    My next conquest is to use two huge butternut squashes in a meal!  Off to the internet I go!