From my CSA box I had a very large bunch of spinach, peaches and beets. The spinach was cleaned, stems removed, washed and then spun dry. As the leaves were very large, I cut them into smaller pieces. The beets were scrubbed, drizzled with olive oil and wrapped in foil before roasting in the oven. When cooled, I peeled and cut the beets into small cubes.
 
Once everything was prepped, the spinach leaves, cubed peaches, blue cheese and chopped walnuts were placed in a large salad bowl allowing enough room for tossing. The dressing is made by whisking vinegar, mustard, honey, fresh thyme, salt and pepper. The dressing is drizzled over the salad right before serving.
 
This was a light, refreshing salad that is perfect for these hot steamy days. The dressing enhanced the sweet, juicy peaches and the beets provided a nice texture against the tender spinach leaves. You can add some sliced grilled chicken or baked salmon to make a delicious salad for dinner.
 
Also plentiful in the box was Swiss chard with its green, red and yellow stems with very large leaves and large spring onions. As there was an abundance of chard, I was able to use it in two recipes, the quiche and stir fry. First up was the quiche that I prepared for dinner one evening. For the recipe you’ll need thick cut bacon slices, milk, unsalted butter, stone-ground grits, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, Gruyère cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, the chard, spring onions, half and half and fresh dill.
 
The bacon is cut into 3/4-inch pieces and  fried up until crisp. Some of the bacon drippings  along with milk and butter is used to make the grits. When done, the grits are seasoned with salt, pepper, an egg and a portion of grated Gruyère cheese. The mixture is transferred to a springform pan in an even layer and baked for approximately 20-25 minutes.
 
While the grits bake, more reserved bacon drippings are used to cook the Swiss chard just until wilted. They are removed to a paper towel lined plate and with paper towels on top, gently pressed upon to remove excess moisture.
 
Sprinkled on top of the semi cooked grits is the grated Parmesan and Gruyère  cheeses. Next the bacon is layered on followed by the chard and sliced spring onion. The eggs are whisked together with the half and half and seasoned with salt and pepper. This goes over the grits and bakes for approximately one hour. 
 
To serve, it’s removed from the spring form pan and garnished with chopped fresh dill. This was a wonderful breakfast for supper meal. Although the recipe says active time of 45 minutes, it took me longer to prep all the ingredients and my kitchen was a disaster. Perhaps if I made it earlier in the day, I wouldn’t have felt so pressed to have it done for dinner. I don’t think we ate until almost 7 PM. However, it was delicious and was a great way to use some of my chard. While the Gruyère cheese made the grits creamy, I would have preferred a sharp cheddar for more interest. 
 
If you’re looking to change up your side dishes, try Stir-Fried Swiss Chard and Red Peppers. Swiss chard is low in calories but also provides one with a daily dose of vitamin K and provide additional vitamins such as A, C and magnesium.
 
Besides the chard and red pepper, you’ll need soy sauce, Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry, dark Asian sesame oil, salt, ground pepper (preferably white) sugar, peanut or canola oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, scallions or red onion and chopped cilantro, which is optional.
 
Per Ms. Shulman’s suggestion, I mise en place all my ingredients as the cooking process goes quite quickly. Using my LeCreuset braiser, I added a bit of oil to the pan and added the garlic and ginger for a quick 10 seconds. Next the chard was added and cooked until wilted. The red pepper and onions follow next and cook just until starting to soften. The salt, pepper and sugar are added and tossed followed by the soy sauce and mixed again.
 
This side dish was a nice change from our usual. It was quite flavorful and the textures gave a wonderful mouth feel. I served it on a bed of white rice along with some grilled pork chops. It was even delicious served on top of cheesy grits I made with sharp cheddar cheese.
 
While there were some blueberries in our CSA box, apparently a certain little four-year-old devoured them before I could get my portion. However, I quickly remedy the matter by purchasing my own blueberries from the same farm at the AsburyFresh market in Asbury Park. I considered baking some blueberry bar cookies, but instead found a recipe by Joy Wilson from “Joy the Baker” website for Single Serve Berry Crostata. This is single serve recipe with a 1/2 cup of blueberries, but I decided to double it.
 
For the recipe you’ll need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt (alternately you can use salted butter), unsalted butter, buttermilk, blueberry or raspberries, cornstarch, squeeze of lemon juice (zest too if you like) and turbinado sugar.
 
Using your fingers, the dough  is made with flour, sugar,  salt and small butter cubes that you’ll break into small pea size. Once that is done, you make a well and add enough buttermilk to bring together with a shagginess. The dough is brought together into a disk and refrigerated for approximately 20 minutes.
 
While the dough chills, the berries are tossed with sugar, cornstarch, salt and lemon juice. I recently saw a baker first add the zest to the sugar before mixing in the other ingredients to obtain a heightened lemon flavor.
 
Once the dough is chilled, it’s rolled out on a lightly floured counter or large wooden board into a 6 to 8-inch circle, 1/4-inch thick. The berries are placed in the center and the crust is pleated around the fruit. Brush with additional buttermilk and dust with turbinado sugar. The crostata bakes in a 400° oven for about 25 minutes.
 
What a yummy dessert for minimal effort. The berries were plump, sweet and tart at the same time and the portion size was perfect, in fact sharing one would have been enough too.
 
In another direction with blueberries, Blueberry Frangipane Loaf Cake was  utterly delightful. Homemade frangipane is easy to make as almond flour is sold in Costco or your local grocery store. You’ll also need softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, an egg white, kosher salt and almond extract. The butter is first creamed and the balance of the ingredients  are mixed in. I used a hand mixer for this and covered when done.
 
The cake is made with softened butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, full-fat plain Greek yogurt, blueberries and sliced almonds.
 
The dry ingredients are sifted together and set aside. In a stand mixer with a paddle, the butter and sugar are beaten until light and fluffy. Eggs are added one at a time followed by the extracts.  With the mixer on low, flour and yogurt are alternately added. The berries are tossed with flour and folded into the batter along with the frangipane. The mixture is spread into a loaf pan and topped with remaining blueberries and sliced almonds.
 
This cake took well over the stated time to bake. The pan size is 8-1/2x4-1/2-inches and bakes for 20 minutes at 375° followed by an additional 55 to 65 minutes at 325°. The recipe provides a temperature at which the cake is set, 202°, as I might have pulled it before it was done. Remember, once it’s removed from the oven, there will be carryover baking.
 
Despite my impatience of waiting, it was worth the wait. The cake was moist and had a tender crumb. The frangipane added another level of flavor to the blueberries. Overall, an absolutely scrumptious cake.  ​

Swiss Chard-and-Bacon Grits Quiche
By Anna Theoktisto
“Southern Living Magazine,” March 2, 2024
 
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
 
Ingredients
6 thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces
2 1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup uncooked stone-ground grits
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. black pepper, divided
8 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
6 large eggs
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
1 (7 1/2-oz.) bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped (about 3 cups)
1 cup thinly sliced spring onions from about 3 medium onions)
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
Fresh dill
Directions

1. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, and wrap exterior tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium, stirring often, until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon; let drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Transfer 2 teaspoons bacon drippings to a medium saucepan. Reserve 2 teaspoons bacon drippings in skillet; reserve remaining drippings for another use.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add milk and butter to drippings in saucepan; bring to a boil over medium, stirring occasionally. Gradually whisk in grits, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, whisking constantly, until very thick, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand in pan 10 minutes. Stir 1 cup of the Gruyère into grits mixture; let stand 5 minutes. Stir 1 egg into grits mixture until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared springform pan; spread in an even layer.
4. Bake in preheated oven until set, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven; leave oven on. Sprinkle Parmesan and remaining 1 cup Gruyère cheese over grits to edges of pan in an even layer. Let stand 10 minutes. Place pan on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
5. Add chard to reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer chard toa paper towel-lined plate, gently patting and squeezing to drain excess moisture.
6. Layer cooked bacon, chard, and spring onions evenly on grits. Whisk remaining 5 eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in half-and-half and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until well combined. Pour egg mixture over grits.
7. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°F (leave quiche in oven), and bake until just set, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; gently loosen quiche sides from pan using a butter knife. Let cool in pan 30 minutes. Discard foil; gently remove sides of pan. Garnish with dill just before slicing and serving.

Stir-Fried Swiss Chard and Red Peppers
“A Versatile Vegetable for a Chilly Spring,”
By Martha Rose Shulman
The New York Times, March 28, 2011
 
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 3 to 4
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon soy sauce (low-sodium if desired)
 1tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil
¼ to ½teaspoon salt (to taste)
¼ teaspoon ground pepper, preferably white pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1-pound Swiss chard, preferably rainbow chard, stems trimmed, washed in two changes of water and cut crosswise in ½-inch strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in ¼-by-2-inch julienne 1 cup julienne
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions or minced red onion
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro (optional)
Cooked quinoa, brown or red rice, or rice noodles for serving
 
Preparation

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil. Combine the salt, pepper and sugar in another small bowl. Have all the ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.
2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two in the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting it back and forth. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the chard, and stir-fry for two minutes, until the leaves wilt. Add the red pepper and spring onion or red onion. Turn the heat to high, and stir-fry for one minute, or until the pepper begins to soften. Add the salt, pepper and sugar. Toss together, and add the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for two to three minutes until the chard leaves are tender and the stems and red peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in the cilantro, and serve over cooked quinoa, rice or rice noodles.

 
Tip - Advance preparation: Like all stir-fries, this is last-minute. But you can have everything prepped and ready to go hours ahead of time.

Single Serve Berry Crostata
Joy Wilson of “Joy the Baker” website
 
Ingredients
1/2 cup (67 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (skip if you used salted butter above)
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons cold buttermilk (plus a splash more if your dough feels dry)
1/2 cup blueberries and raspberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
A pinch of kosher salt
A squeeze of lemon (and lemon zest if you want)
Turbinado sugar before baking, optional
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving
 
Instructions

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a small baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to break the butter up into smaller bits, the size of small peas and oat flakes. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add buttermilk. Use a fork to bring it all together into a shaggy dough.
3. Turn the shaggy dough out onto the counter and bring together into a small disk. Add a splash more buttermilk if the dough feels dry. Wrap in a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
4. In a small bowl toss together berries, sugar, cornstarch, salt and a little squeeze of lemon.
5. Lightly flour the counter and roll the crust into a 6 or 8-inch circle just thicker than 1/4-inch. Spoon fruit onto the crust and fold the crust up over the fruit. Brush the edges with buttermilk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
6. Use a large spatula or bench scraper to transfer the crostata to the prepared baking pan. Bake for 22-24 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

Blueberry Frangipane Loaf Cake
 
Makes one 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch cake
 
Ingredients
Frangipane:
¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (48 grams) superfine blanched almond flour
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour
1 large egg white (30 grams), room temperature
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon (4 grams) almond extract
 
Batter:
½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature
1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) almond extract
1¾ cups (219 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
½ cup (120 grams) full-fat plain Greek yogurt
1¼ cups (175 grams) fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons (15 grams) sliced almonds
 
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray an 8½x4½-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour. Line bottom and all sides of pan with parchment paper, letting excess over sides of pan.
2. For frangipane: In a medium bowl, stir butter until creamy. Add almond flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, egg white, salt, and almond extract; stir until well combined. Cover until ready to use.
3. For batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in extracts just until combined.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¾ cups (219 grams) all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
5. In a small bowl, toss together blueberries and remaining 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour. Fold 1 cup (140 grams) blueberries and frangipane into batter. Spread batter to prepared pan. Tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to settle batter. Top with remaining ¼ cup (35 grams) blueberries and sliced almonds.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (170°C), and bake until golden brown, top feels dry and set, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 202°F (94°C) to 210°F (99°C), 55 minutes to 1 hour and 5 minutes more, loosely covering with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Peach and Beet Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette
From the website “That Skinny Chick Can Bake”
 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
 
Ingredients
 
Salad
 3 small to medium beets, cooked, peeled and cut into cubes
 1 fresh peach, pitted, peeled and cubed
 3-5 ounces fresh baby spinach
 ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese (or more to taste)
 ⅓ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
 
Vinaigrette
 3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
 3 tablespoons olive oil
 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
 1 teaspoon honey
 ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
 Salt and pepper to taste
 
Instructions

1. Place the spinach in a large salad bowl or divide it between individual salad plates.
2. Top with beets, peaches, blue cheese, and walnuts.
3. Make the beet salad dressing by whisking together the vinegar, mustard, honey, thyme, salt, and pepper.
4. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is well combined and emulsified.
5. Drizzle salad or salads with the vinaigrette. Toss large salad right before serving.

 
Notes - You can replace walnuts with pecans. If you'd prefer goat cheese, it will work well in this salad.