Greek Pasta with Rainbow Chard and Sausage

Here is another fun spur of the moment creation we came up with. The inspiration for the meal was a beautiful bunch of Rainbow Chard we received last week in our Dandelion Organic delivery Box. This is the first time I've ever cooked with Chard and our recipe incorporated every aspect of the plant from the tough stems to the giant multicolored leafs. Greek flavors of feta and kalamata complimented the chard quite nicely and was a lot more exciting than your typical pasta and red sauce.

2 Cups uncooked penne pasta
2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Sweet Italian Sausages, Casings removed
1 Bunch Rainbow Chard, Stems Removed and finely Diced, Leaves separated and coarsely Chopped
1/4 Cup White Wine
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Feta Cheese, Crumbled
12 Kalamata Olives, Coarsely Chopped
12 Cherry Tomatoes

Cook Pasta according to directions. Heat Oil in medium sauce pan. Add Garlic and saute 60 seconds, stirring constantly and being careful not to burn. Add crumbled sausage and cook until browned. Set Sausage aside on a plate. To Same pan add diced chard stems, water, and wine. Cover with lid and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Remove lid, add chard leaves, cover and cook another 5 minutes. Toss together pasta, cooked sausage, cooked chard, feta, olives and cherry tomatoes. Serve and enjoy.

Eggs Over Easy with Sweet Zucchini and Carrot Saute

OK, I've been getting seriously behind in the food blogging. But there are a few choice creations I do want to get out there. This one I am quite proud of. This was a spur of the moment, what can I throw together based on what I have on hand late night dinner. Zucchini is sauteed in a bit of olive oil and garlic with a dash of nutmeg. Grated Carrots add an unusual touch of sweetness. Unlike your traditional omelet, this dish is served as a saute with eggs over easy. The creamy yolk ties all the flavors together with an extra boost of protein. Thiss makes a quick and easy breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack, whenever you are in the mood.

1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and then sliced into half mono discs
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Clove of garlic, minced
pinch of Nutmeg
2 Organic Free Range Eggs
Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add Garlic and saute 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn. Add zucchini and a dash of nutmeg, tossing to incorporate. Saute a couple of minutes. Add graded carrot. Saute another one to two minutes. Scoot veggie saute to one side of the pan and add two eggs. One whites start to harden flip and cook to your desired degree of doneness. This tastes best when the eggs are still a bit yolky. Place eggs on plate and top with carrots and zucchini. Enjoy!

Black and Tan Stew

Don here. Made an awesome stew for St. Patty's day that I highly recommend. Totally off the cuff, but turned out well and you could definitely sub whatever you want in it.

Drum roll please! The ingredients are/were:

2lbs lamb shoulder, cubed

2lbs beef shoulder, cubed

7-8 assorted potatoes, skin on, cubed

1 large parsnip, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 rutabagas, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 turnips, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large onion - yellow or sweet, or white, whatever, chopped

1 leek, diced

6 whole peeled cloves of garlic

14oz can of whole stewed tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

lots of salt and coarse ground pepper to taste

2 cups Jameson Irish Whisky

3 bottles Harps, Smithwicks, or other lighter beer

3 bottles Guinness

2 whole sprigs of rosemary

In a large stew pot, heat the oil and add the onions. Stir constantly until their softened. Salt and pepper the meat cubes and add to the pot in batches, stirring constantly so as to brown on all sides. Once the meat is going, gradually add the potatoes, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, leeks, and garlic, and cook about 3-5 minutes. The water from the meat and the veggies will start to soften everything up nicely. Add liberal amounts of pepper and salt to your liking.

Now add the Jameson and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the beer. ALL AT ONCE! Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then turn down the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. About a half hour before you are ready to serve, add the stewed tomatoes squeezing and mushing them with your hands before dropping them in, juice and all. Add the rosemary springs (I didn't actually add the rosemary to my batch, but I know it would have been awesome).

When you're ready to serve, remove the rosemary and discard.

Oh yeah, and this recipe makes a lot. So have a bunch of people over, and make some soda bread to go with it. And then don't plan on doing anything for several hours, because you'll be in a food coma. But it will be glorious. Let me know if you try this, and what else you did with it. I love me my stews. The tomatoes, by the way, are something I always add to a red meat stew, and I've NEVER been let down yet.