This recipe for mashed potatoes is not at all good for you, but it tastes awesome. Phil and I have developed and refined this recipe over the past several months to include much more than just potatoes.

Ingredients

5 lb. bag of red potatoes

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3-4 Tbsp butter or margarine

4 – 5 strips of cooked thick bacon

2 -3 Tbsp sour cream

1/4 cup of milk (This may not be needed)

3 Tbsp fresh chives (You can use dried if you don’t have fresh just allow them to hydrate in the potatoes)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder (Optional)

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Hello readers (if there are any left in the Ethernet)!

We went on a short sabbatical because our lives got really crazy for awhile. We didn’t stop cooking; however, the recipes just didn’t quite make it into the blog. So, we have lots of recipes to share. We’ll start out with a healthy one and there will hopefully be more to come soon. We have been trying to branch out and try some new vegetables lately (by which I mean, I have been trying to convince Phil that green leafy things don’t kill you and can actually be quite tasty if prepared well). If you live in Lynchburg, good luck finding Swiss Chard (Kroger might have it). We actually snagged ours at Whole Foods in Charlottesville on the way home from one of our weekend trips.

For those of you who might not know what Swiss Chard is, it is a large, green, leaf on a long stalk that may be white, yellow, or red. Click Here for a picture. When I say that it’s a large leaf, I mean it’s approximately 12-14 inches in length. It tastes somewhat similar to spinach and this recipe is pretty good. Note: when dealing with meat lovers who don’t like vegetables that much, entice them with bacon. Now, on to the recipe.

Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup bacon
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch Swiss chard
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Salt

Directions

1. Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces.
2. Remove the stems from the Swiss Chard and cut them into 1/2 inch lengths.
3. Cut the Swiss Chard leaves into 1 1/2 inch lengths.
4. Coat a large skillet with the olive oil and add the diced bacon, garlic, and crushed red pepper.
5. Heat to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
6. After the garlic has turned golden brown remove it from the pan and throw away. At this point the bacon should look brown and crispy, if not, cook just a little longer.
7. Add the Swiss chard stems and the stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated.
8. Add the Swiss chard leaves and saute until they are wilted.
9. Season with salt. Make sure not to add too much. You can always add more later.