Although I have creamed other veggies using this recipe (i.e. spinach, beet greens, and pearl onions), Swiss chard is still my favorite. (Of course it is! It’s the most expensive. Duh!) But regardless of what veggie I use, this preparation turns it into a dish fit for a king, or even one step higher – Mr. C. (It’s incredibly lucky for me that Mr. C. does not read my blog, because if he ever read all the things I tell you about him, he might never speak to me again. He truly does not like being the center of attention.) But putting his feelings aside, I truly do take pleasure in fixing food that I know he is going to enjoy. It’s one of the many joys of being married to such a wonderful man. (This is where you start feeling nauseous or go ahhhhhhh, isn’t that sweet?) Regardless, you are all going to be glad I shared this recipe with you. And no it’s not a new recipe (I’ve been making it for over 30 years), or apt to win me a place in the Julia Child hall of fame (although that would be nice), it’s just one of those recipes that I feel every good cook should have in their repertoire.

• 2 T. butter
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, very thinly sliced
• 1 T. flour
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg (dried or freshly grated)
• ½ tsp. kosher salt or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. milk (preferably whole milk)
• 1 large or 2 small bunches Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add shallots and cook only until translucent. There should be no brown on the shallots. Whisk in the flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and simmer gently until the mixture is thick. Meanwhile, steam the Swiss chard until tender. When the sauce has thickened nicely, add chard and serve immediately.

Note: If you are using spinach or beet greens, use the same amount as the Swiss chard. If you are creaming pearl onions, use 2 small bags from the freezer case.

Ok, I know what most of you are thinking. What in the name of all things healthy is Patti doing posting a recipe for simple steamed green beans? Hasn’t she got better recipes to offer? Doesn’t she know my time is valuable? But wait, ye of little faith, this is more about procedure than ingredient content.  It’s all about making life easier for the person preparing and serving a buffet dinner and as such the first recipe in my DINNER PARTY MENUS series.

Most buffet dinners include, at a minimum, appetizers, a main dish, starchy side, veggie of some sort, salad, perhaps bread, and a tasty dessert. This formula provides plenty of variety and seemingly an easy menu to plan. But if you are like me, the choice of the veggie component can be most vexing. And there is the general appeal of the flavor combinations to be considered.  If, for example, you are serving a creamy main dish such as Swedish Meatballs or pasta, the last type of veggie dish anyone would enjoy eating would be one smothered in yet another rich sauce. In fact, most of the time, any main dish or starchy side dish you plan to serve is going to be fairly rich. So, over the years I have learned to serve plain veggie dishes with buffet dinners. And preferably a veggie that can be prepared ahead of time and just heated up at the last minute as in this green bean recipe. So give this recipe a try for your next dinner party. And of course you can use this same method with other veggies such as broccoli or carrots. Just don’t overcook your veggies. Nothing shows off your cooking skills better than a perfectly prepared vegetable. And another little hint. Don’t try to be too precious when serving a buffet dinner. If not all of your guests will be seated at a table, don’t leave the green beans in their original long and lovely state. Do your guests a favor and cut those stunning beauties into bite size pieces. Believe me, it will not change the flavor of the beans, and your guests trying to balance a plate of food, a fork, a napkin and a beverage on their lap, will be eternally grateful that a knife was not required.

• 2 lbs. green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
• butter
• kosher salt
• juice of one lemon, opt. (don’t even think about using bottled juice – it’s fresh lemon juice or nothin’)

Steam or cook the beans in boiling water until crisp tender. Do not overcook. Immediately pour beans into a colander and spray with cold water until beans are no longer even warm. Allow to drain for a few minutes. Pour into a microwave safe serving bowl and dot with butter. Cover and place in refrigerator until just ready to serve. When ready to serve, warm beans in the microwave (remember, you don’t want them to really cook any more, just get warm). Remove from microwave, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and drizzle with lemon. Stir and serve. 2 lbs. of beans serves about 20 people nicely.

Note: I love the 2 pound packages of green beans from Costco for a dinner party. They are of uniform length and just the perfect bite size when cut in half.