Creamed Spinach

I am now a creamed spinach lover!

Being the good wife that I am, I tried to make a menu for Daniel's birthday that incorporated all of his favorites. He has traveled many, many times for work and really I think the only good part of it is that he has gotten to eat at many really nice steakhouses, hence a lot of creamed spinach.

I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did, but I was running back for seconds! I had the impression that spinach was always bitter just kind of gross on its own.

The next time you are grilling up some steaks, add this to your menu! You won't regret it!

2 lbs of spinach (I used bagged baby spinach)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, pressing with a large spoon to release as much water as possible. Finely chop and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until the liquid is released. Add the cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until the cream is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Cheddar and Spinach Pie

Cheddar and Spinach Pie is one of my favorite dinners. My friend, Roberta, gave this recipe to me several years ago and we have enjoyed it many times. We are big on the quiches in this house, so this is right up our alley! I wouldn't classify it as a quiche...it is egg-y but not as egg-y as a quiche. Does that make sense? You may just have to be a quiche connoisseur to understand!

I love that this is such a quick dinner, you will have it whipped up in no time! It is great paired with a nice garden salad for dinner or with a colorful fruit salad and served for brunch.


8 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
2 tablespoons flour
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 oz. frozen spinach, cooked and drained

Toss the cheese with the flour. Mix eggs, milk, and salt. Stir in the cheese and spinach. Pour into a well greased 9" pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

*You can assemble the pie in the morning and refrigerate. Just let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking if it has been chilled!

Stuffed Shells

Here is another quick and easy meal per your requests. It is also one that I regularly make for the freezer. I am sure you have seen it on my menu plan, we eat it all the time. The recipe calls for spinach, but you could easily substitute ground beef or whatever you like. I really think this recipe was meant for Popeye, he sure loves him some spinach, doesn't he? Seriously though, even if you *think* you don't like spinach, I challenge you to try it in these shells. It is good for you, afterall!

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 box of jumbo shells

1 pkg. mozzarella cheese

Filling:

1 onion, diced

10 oz. frozen spinach, cooked and drained

1 chicken bullion cube

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

Cook shells al dente. Mix filling and stuff into shells. Place shells in a baking dish. Pour sauce over shells and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

To freeze:

Prepare dish up to the baking point. Cover and freeze. To eat, thaw, and follow baking instructions.