Swiss Chard From Spring Until Fall

A small row of Swiss chard produces in the home garden from late spring until late autumn.
The above was picked on one of the last days of November here in Hunts Point, Nova Scotia, Canada. It continues to grow in early December, even after many frosty nights and minus Celsius temperatures.
Swiss chard is great with many meals, adding nutrition as well as colour.
Very easy to cook in the microwave, just rinse it clean then put it in a small microwave-safe container and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Drain and enjoy. If desired, season with salt, pepper and butter.
It is also very good served with a bit of juice from pickled beets.

Mixed Vegetable Bake Recipe

Mixed Vegetable Bake
(From the book Kiss The Cook Who Microwaves:
One Dish Meals by Mary Mouzar and Joanne Uhlman)

(Crispy buttered crumbs and shredded golden cheddar cheese top a veggie mixture of peas, carrots, cauliflower and potatoes in a cream sauce)

1 cup diced carrots
2 1/2 cups pared, cubed potatoes (about 3 or 4 medium)
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup water
10 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (or use the easy homemade recipe on page 145 if you have the cookbook mentioned above)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumb topping (saute some bread crumbs in butter until golden or use the recipe for Crispy Crumb Topping on page 149 of the cookbook mentioned above)

Method: In a 2-quart (6"x10") microwave-safe baking dish, arrange carrots in corners, potatoes along edges, cauliflower and peas in centre. Add water. (see illustration below)
Cover and cook at 100 % power 10 minutes (no need to uncover during cooking time), or until vegetables are tender.
Add soup to vegetables and mix.
Cover and heat at 50% power 4 minutes or until hot.
Sprinkle with cheese and crumb topping.
Makes: 4 or 5 servings

Arrange the vegetables in baking dish as shown above. This helps promote even cooking, with tougher veggies near the edges and tender near the middle.

Cover with a rectangular baking dish of the same size. No need to move or stir the contents during the cooking time.

After the cooking is done, and while hot, sprinkle with cheese and crumb topping.

How To Make Hodgepodge

How To Make Old-Fashioned Nova Scotia Hodgepodge
When your garden or a farmer's market offers the first harvest of potatoes, carrots, beans, and peas, it's time to enjoy a wonderful meal of the new vegetables, enhanced with a bit of heavy cream, butter, pepper and salt. Fresh chives are also a nice addition just before serving. Instead of butter, you may use finely diced salt pork fried to a golden brown to which you add the cream before drizzling over the vegetables. The above veggies were purchased at the Liverpool public market from Valerie Jollimore who is open daily except Sunday from 9 am to 5.30 pm.

New small potatoes, halved or quartered
Carrots, scrubbed clean and cut into bit size pieces
Beans, cut into bite-size pieces
Peas, shelled or use snap peas in the pods
To a large saucepan, add carrots, potatoes and beans. Add just enough water to cover. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cook peas in a separate pot or a couple of minutes in the microwave.
Drain vegetables; add peas.
Add a small amount of heavy cream and a dab of butter. Add pepper and salt to taste. Sprinkle with chives (optional).
If using salt pork, add the cream to the fried pork and when heated, pour over the vegetables.