Sep 27, 2011
Denise Simmons, Corporate Chef
I love the foods of summer…tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, squash, anything cooked on a grill, peaches, cherries, nectarines, watermelon, anything cooked on a grill…you get the idea.
But I also love the foods of fall, which is coming closer every day. I noticed today the leaves are starting to change colors, there’s a little nip in the air first thing in the morning, the smell of wood smoke wafting by…it all makes me feel cozy & comfortable.
Dinner last night was just that: a little pot roast with onion jus, mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash and best of all-a big pot of southern style braised local collard greens. I’m a big fan of any & all types of greens, but collards, done well, are my favorite.
I cooked dinner for my family-mom, dad & my niece, Aja. Aja had never had collard greens before (I just can’t understand that…she’s my niece and has been in my life a lot in the past 20 years, how’d she miss collards?!?). My dad asked her if she’d ever tried them, and when she replied ‘no’, he cautioned her to take just a little…’collard greens are one of those things you either love or hate’ (this from a man who tries very hard to never eat anything green). Aja sort of gingerly tasted the first bite, then continued to pile more on her plate…and go for seconds! A huge compliment since she’s a little bitty thing-just over five feet tall, maybe a size 3, and a VERY picky eater! It was so nice to see her enjoy them!
I can’t wait until it’s cold enough for chili! I came across a recipe for black bean chili with butternut squash & swiss chard…come on winter!
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