Parmesan & Thyme "Cookies"

In all fairness, Ina Garten calls these Parmesan & Thyme Crackers but I call them cookies. Doing so triples the chances your children will eat them. I recommend it.

Buttery, cheesy, crumbly, herb cookies are so tasty with a sippy cup of milk, a mug of tea, or a glass of champagne, simple enough for kids but elegant enough for your fanciest dinner party.

The thyme is truly magical here. The herbs keep the flavor bright despite the ample butter and cheese. And really, what would a cookie be without a fair amount of butter?

Parmesan and Thyme "Cookies"
adapted slightly from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 & 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper*
1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter for about 1 minute. Add the cheese, thyme, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Add the flour and continue to mix on low until the dough forms large crumbles. If the dough seems too crumbly and won't clump together, add a little water, 1 teaspoon at a time until it is workable.
2. Dump the dough onto a floured counter or board. Press the dough together into a mound and roll into a 9-inch log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to a few days.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 3/8-inch rounds and place them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 22 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks and serve at room temperature.

*The original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp of black pepper but I reduce it by half as the shorties in my house are pepper-averse. Add a little more or less to suit your audience. 

 

Swiss Chard Soup

My sister has a killer recipe for Swiss Chard Soup. Sadly, I've never made it because every time she sends me the recipe I lose it. Somewhere around here there's a goldmine of heirloom recipes tucked into one book jacket or another. But after searching in vain for the elusive recipe stockpile and faced with an overflowing vegetable drawer from the latest CSA delivery from Angelic Organics, I finally made up my own.

The bounty of vegetables presented the perfect opportunity to test out our new crock pot.  Ever since a batch of pulled pork cracked the insert of our old KitchenAid slow cooker for the third time, I've been on the lookout for a new, heartier model. After extensive research that mostly entailed reading amazon.com reviews, I decided it was time to downgrade. Yes, downgrade. Our new Crock Pot was cheaper and a little smaller that its predecessor (6 quarts vs. 7), but the reviews on this baby look great and after one round of chard soup, I am pleased. Fingers crossed that this crock doesn't shatter on me too. I'll keep you posted on that one but so far so good.

Swiss Chard Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, thinly sliced, and washed well
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch of chard, washed, and roughly chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
3 cups waxy potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Parmesan rind (I happened to have one in the freezer, but you could leave it out and add extra Parmesan on top when serving)
1 large bunch summer savory (or substitute fresh oregano), tied with twine for easy removal
Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onion, garlic, and leeks and saute until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add chard to the pan and continue to cook until the chard wilts.
2. Transfer chard mixture to a 6-quart (or slightly larger) slow cooker crock. Add next 8 ingredients (through Parmesan rind, if using) and stir gently. Nestle the bunch of summer savory right on top and cover. Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. Garnish with plenty of freshly shaved Parmesan cheese and a serve with a hunk of crusty bread.

My champion chard spinner