Today was the first pick up day for our CSA season.  It was a bit smaller than we had hoped.  We’ve had lots of rain and cool weather, which has slowed us down considerably.  But we managed to harvest enough to give everyone a delicious sample of what is to come! This time of year is great for greens like kale and chard.  Spinach is the green that usually gets the spotlight, but if you’ve not used kale or chard, you’re missing some unique flavors.  CSA member Jenni was kind enough to send me some of her favorites:

Sweet and Savory Kale

From www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups stemmed, torn and rinsed kale
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard, sugar, vinegar, and chicken stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the kale, cover, and cook 5 minutes until wilted.
2. Stir in the dried cranberries, and continue boiling, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by about half, and the cranberries have softened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sliced almonds before serving.

Radish Dip

FROM www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 radishes, quartered
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

Directions

1. Place garlic in the container of a food processor, and pulse until finely minced. Add radishes, and mince. Add cream cheese, and mix until well blended. Transfer to a serving dish, and chill until serving.   Serves 16.

This season, we decided to stick with Lacinato Kale, aka Dinosaur Kale, because it is the best variety with which to make kale chips.  They couldn’t be easier to make, simply remove stems from kale and cut  into bite sized pieces.  Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Watch them closely. The edges should be brown, but not burnt.  They don’t keep well, but it really doesn’t matter because they’re so delicious you’ll want to eat them all right away!