Swiss Chard Macaroni and Cheese

One of my new fave veggies, thanks to our CSA, is Swiss Chard. It's amazing wilted and put into just about anything ever. Of course, I like greens anyway, but YUM. SO when I found a dish that combined swiss chard and macaroni and cheese (one of my all time favorite dishes), I knew we had to give it a try!

Makes: A 7 X 11" pan of macaroni and cheese

Ingredients
1 bunch Swiss Chard, washed
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
3 tbsp flour
1/4 cup pesto
1 cup plain yogurt (whole, not non-fat)
1 cup crumbled feta
16 ounces elbow pasta
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
PREHEAT oven broiler

BOIL water in a large saucepan
ADD pasta
COOK until al dente
RESERVE 1 cup of pasta water when draining

WASH Swiss Chard
SEPARATE stems from leaves
ROUGHLY CHOP both, but keep separate
CHOP onion
MINCE garlic

HEAT butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
ADD chard stems and onions
COOK 3-4 minutes
ADD garlic
COOK until vegetables are tender
ADD chopped chard greens
COOK until the greens are wilted (2-3 minutes)
STIR in flour
COOK 1 minute
ADD pesto, yogurt, feta, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
STIR well
COOK until mixture begins to thicken and is heated through (3-4 minutes)

PLACE pasta mixture in a 7 x 11" pan
SPRINKLE with Parmesan cheese
PLACE under broiler until cheese begins to brown

My Thoughts
1. I really enjoyed the flavor of the feta in macaroni and cheese. The yogurt lent a bit of tang which I was a undecided on, but the hubby considers this a solid win.

2. You could easily add bacon to this recipe for a bit of a smoky flavor.

3. The "sauce" is not as creamy as a traditional macaroni and cheese, but it still has a nice texture and holds together nicely.

4. This dish reheats well, making it an excellent option for lunches!