I have a new favorite cookbook this week. This cookbook is an inspiring collection of recipes to eat and live in harmony with nature. Authors Will Steger and his niece Chef Rita Mae Steger live in the northwoods of Minnesota where they founded the Steger Wilderness Center. Chef Rita creates delicious and healthy meals for visitors who come from all over the world to learn at the Center about climate change, viable carbon-neutral solutions, and ecological stewardship. Will is an Arctic explorer and environmental educator, even winning a medal from National Geographic. Co-author Beth Dooley is a James Beard Award-winning co-author of several other cookbooks. After reading all this about the cookbook, I knew I was in for an adventurous time in the kitchen!
The chapters have down-to-earth titles such as The Garden, Simple Comforts, Homestead Gatherings, Fireside Feasts, The Homestead Oven, Wholesome Treats, and The Pantry. Here are just some that caught my eye right away- Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Corn; Farro and Chickpea Salad; Ginger Squash and Apple Soup; The Rita Mae Reuben; Homer’s Smoked Fish and Pasta Salad; Spatchcock Chicken with Blueberry-Maple Glaze; Patti’s Wilderness School Bread; Chocolate Kolbasa (Russian No-Bake Cookies); Steger Wilderness Bars; and the one I couldn’t wait to make: Spanakopita Pasta! For this dish all I had to read was a massive amount of greens, feta cheese, cream cheese, and kalamata olives, and I was sold.
Since the recipe called for 8 cups of chopped greens like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or your favorite greens, I knew the best place to find all of those was our local Farmer’s Market. The market is held every Thursday in our beautiful downtown Libertyville. Please give me a moment to brag about our downtown area:
Yes, our entire downtown is now officially on the Register of Historic Places named by the Department of the Interior. We are so proud!
Right next to where the sign stands is the Farmer’s Market.
Aren’t these gorgeous? There are even more that couldn’t fit in the photo. I settled on Swiss Chard for the dish.
My granddaughters love the Farmer’s Market, even on the hot sunshine days.
The dish turned out spectacular! So many flavors and textures. We loved it.
I hope you like it too.
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 8 cups chopped greens (Swiss chard, spinach, kale, etc.; or a combo)
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound fusilli or any corkscrew pasta
- 8 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces full fat cream cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 ounces mozzarella, grated
- 4 ounces crumbled feta (I used a 5 ounce container)
- ⅓ cup chopped kalamata olives
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Using 2 Tablespoons of the butter, generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the greens and parsley with a little salt and pepper.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water until just al dente; reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside. Return the pot to the stove.
- Over medium heat melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter in the pot. Add the scallions, garlic, and a pinch of salt; sauté until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add cream cheese, reserved pasta water, and lemon juice; stir until smooth. Stir in the greens, half the mozzarella, half the feta, and the chopped olives. Stir in the cooked pasta until everything is combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Transfer the hot pasta mixture to the baking dish, then top with remaining mozzarella and feta. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until bubbly and and the top is golden brown. Serves 6.
- Note: Check the dish at the 10 minutes to see if it needs a couple extra minutes. The filling is already hot and may be ready quickly. Do not over bake or it will dry out.
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