Conference turris::cooks

   1. Wash spinach.
    Chop garlic.
    Heat olive oil with garlic in nonstick frying pan.
    Add spinach--still damp.
    Saute until done.


  2.Wash spinach.
    Cook bacon in non stick pan.
    Drain bacon, reserving some fat.
    Add spinach to reserved fat, and saute until done.
    Add cooked bacon, crumbled, to spinach                   
    

    note 1590 is a vegetable lasagna which includes spinach.
    
    ed

    CREAMY SPINACH
    
    6 c. spinach leaves			Dash nutmeg
    1/4 c. evaporated skimmed milk	Salt and pepper to taste
    1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. magarine
    
    Place spinach in boiling salted water to cover.  Cook 4 minutes
    or until tender.  Drain Well.  In top of double boiler, combine
    milk, margarine, and spinach, cook until margarine is melted.
    Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
    
    NOTE: add low fat Swiss cheese for a diferent taste

    2 pkg 10 oz chopped spinach			1 tsp salt
    2 cans button mushrooms, drained		2/3 c dairy sour cream
    2 tsp instant minced onion			2 t milk
    1 clove garlic, crushed			2 t. butter
    
    Thaw spinach, drain well, mix all ingredients, place in 1 quart
    casserole dish, cover and bake 1 hour at 300.

    This lasagna does not include pasta...just spinach.  It is part
    of a low carbo diet (not low fat).  I make it all the time and people
    love it... NOTE: you can also make with pasta instead of spinach.
    
    Raw spinach (about 1/2 produce bag		1-1/2 lbs ground beef
    1 lb italian sausage			8 oz. lg curd cottage
    8 oz mozzarella cheese shredded		      cheese (low fat)
    1 lg onion chopped				1 egg
    1 6 oz can tomato paste + 1 can		2 8 oz. cans tomato
           water					sauce
    1 T. basil					1 T. parsley
    1 green pepper, chopped			1 T. Oregano
    1 8 oz can mushrooms			Garlic powder, salt
    						& pepper to taste
    
    Brown ground beef, sausage, onion and green pepper together.  Drain
    grease.  Add tomato sauce, paste, water, parsley, basil, oregano,
    mushrooms.  Simmer 45 min (or longer if desired) stirring occasionally.
    Add garlic, salt and pepper during this time.
    
    Mix cottage cheese and egg together.  Line bottom of 13 x 9 baking
    pan with spinach.  Be sure to cover bottom.  Spread 1/2 of meat
    mix and 1/2 cottage cheese.  Sprinkle with 1/2 mozzarella.  Do another
    layer of each.  Bake uncovered 350 for 40-45 minutes - until cheese
    starts to brown.  Let set for 15 minutes before serving.
                             

    one more...can you tell I like spinach?
    
    1 lg can of Salmon			1/2 pkg frozen chopped spinach
    1 egg                               1/2 tsp garlic salt
    1 onion chopped                     1 cup bread crumbs with 2 tbls
    1 tbls lemon                          melted butter mixed in 
    1 tbls mayonnaise
    
    Mix all ingredients together and put in loaf pan.  Cook at 325 for
    one hour (uncovered).
    
    NOTE: Can serve with hollandaise sauce

    			ITALIAN SPINACH
    
    1 - 2 pkg. frozen spinach
    garlic chopped 
    olive oil
    egg
    cheese- parmesan, Romano, mozzarella (whatever you have)
    
    Thaw spinach, or microwave in pkg. to defrost.  Drain almost all
    liquid from the spinach.  ( I squeeze it).  Saute the garlic and
    spinach in skillet with the olive oil, until the spinach is tender.
    Stir in the egg, and the cheese.  The amount of garlic will depend
    on individual taste.  We really love it, so I usually add additional
    garlic powder or garlic salt while cooking.  Any cheese will do.
    Sometimes I use the canof parmesan, but the shredded mozzarella
    makes it really good!
    
    Enjoy!
    

    See note 1611 for a Chicken Broccoli Lasagne with Parmesan Custard
    recipe that is great!  You can easily substitute spinach for the
    broccoli.
    
    It also works in crepes, quiches, souffles, soups...
    
    TW

		Pasta and Spinach

Ingredients:
10 oz. (or 1lb.) Tomato, red pepper & basil pasta
	plain pasta can also be used, you can add
	a dash of ground black pepper, and tsp. fresh
	basil to pick up plain pasta.

1 tbl. olive oil
1 fresh minced garlic clove 
1 1b. Fresh spinach washed & cleaned
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped pitted black olives

boil water and cook pasta, while pasta is cooking clean and drain
spinach. Warm olive oil over med heat, add minced garlic and saute
lightly, about 2 min. not brown. Add spinach over med-high flame
and stirfry for about 5-8 min. till reduced and limp.
Rinse and drain pasta add a drop of olive oil to keep pasta from sticking.
Place spinach on a bed of pasta top with feta and olives and serve hot.


    
    Marilyn
    

    I havent made this in years but as I remember, it was delicious...
    
    Zuchinni and Spinach
    
    Grate zuchinni....hand squeeze as much liquid out of it as you can...
    add an equal amount of squeezed spinach and mix together
    
    Then you can do what you want....add salt, pepper, whatever, and
    either fry, bake or otherwise get hot.....its really great but
    unfortunately, will only use up an insignificant amount of your
    garden grown zuchinni....:-)
    
    Rick

    Quick Creamed Spinach                               
    
    3 pkgs (10-oz size) frozen chopped spinach
    2/3 cup manonnaise
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    
    1.  Cook spinach in large saucepan according to directions; drain,
        pressing out as much liquid as possible.
    
    2.  Stir mayonnaise and cheese into spinach and reheat gently.  Do
        not boil.

    Spinach Indian Style
    
    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
    1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
      1 teaspoon ground coriander
    1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
      2 pkgs (10-oz size) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
    1/2 cup cottaghe cheese
      2 tablespoons sour cream
    
    1.  Melt butter in large skillet over low heat, add turmeric, coriander
        and salt and cook, stirring for 2 mintues.  Stir in spinach.  Cover,
        cook until spinach is heated through.
    
    2.  Uncover, add cottage cheese and sour cream and reheat, mixing
        thoroughly.  Do not allow to boil.
    
    Serves six.

    SPINACH SQAURES
    
    13X9 BAKING PAN
    
    MELT TWO TBLS BUTTON ON BOTTOM OF PAN
    
    MIX 2 CUPS FLOUR
        1/2 TSP BAKING POWDER
        1/2 TSP MINCED ONION
        1/2 TSP GARLIC
        2 LBS FETA CHEESE
        2 PKGS OF SHREDDED CHEDDAR
        4 EGGS
        2 PKGS OF SPINACH THAWED BY MICRO IS OKAY
    
    ALL OF THESE SHOULD BE WELL BEATEN, BAKED AT 350 DEGREES FOR 40
    MINUTES. THEY ARE GREAT!
    

RE: < Note 1816.13 by BRAT::ALBERT >
                              -< SPINACH SQUARES >-

      > 2 PKGS OF SHREDDED CHEDDAR

    Sounds good, but...

    How much shredded cheddar?  The pre-shredded stuff comes in different
    size packages.
    
    							Pat

    
    You might also check out note 1703: 'Flying Greens' works fine with
    spinach.
    
    /. Ian .\

    replying to spinach squares question
    you use two packages of sargento shredded cheddar. it's in
    the green packages in the dairy case sorry about that....
    

    I think they're 8-oz packages, for those who are shredding their
    own.
    
    --Louise

    2 pkgs. Frozen Chopped Spinach
    3/4 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
    1 to 1 1/2  Cups Italian Bread Crumbs
    1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
    1 T. Butter or Margarine
    
    
    Defrost spinach either by boiling in hot water or by microwaving it.
    In casserole pan combine spinach and soup. Add enough bread crumbs so
    that the mixture starts to hold together.  Spread out evenly in pan.
    Top with extra bread crumbs, cheese and butter.  Bake at 350 until top
    is browned.
    
    

    
    Here's one that's really different from all the others!
    
    Ingredients:
    Potatoes
    Spinach
    Mustard Oil
    salt & pepper to taste
    grated fresh ginger (optional)
    
    
    Quantities vary according to your taste, so experiment.
    
    Instructions:
    
    Partially steam(or boil, your choice) the potatoes in their jackets.
    Peel and cut potatoes into cubes approx 1" in size. 
    If using frozen spinach, thaw first. If using fresh, steam until
    just done.
    
    Now put a tblspn or two of mustard oil in a frying pan (large enough
    to hold everything.)  If you are using grated ginger, put that in
    first. After a minute, put in the drained chopped potatoes and the
    spinach and cook until done.  Add the salt and pepper to taste.
    
    Yumm!
    
    It's the mustard oil that makes this dish!  You can purchase it
    in specialty stores.
    
    VARIATION:  If you really can't get the mustard oil, try using your
    favorite veg oil and black mustard seeds.  Technique is to heat
    the oil very hot.  Add a tablespoon of mustard seeds and IMMEDIATELY
    cover.  turn the heat down a little, and listen for the popping
    to stop.  Then add the ginger, potatoes, and spinach.  E-Z!  and
    G_O_O_D!
    

                 CROCK POT SPINACH CASSEROLE


	4 	boxes frozen chopped spinach; drain, squeeze dry

	1	lb. cottage cheese

	1	stick oleo, cut up

	3-4 	eggs, beaten

	1	lb American or cheddar cheese, cut up

	2	Tbs. flour

	salt


    Mix all together.  Put in greased crock pot.  

Cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours on high, or 3 to 4 hours on low.

					From Marcia Blasko, who got the
					recipe from Carol Bibbins, another
					DEC employee

    
    Spinach & Cheese Pie
    
    1 Pie crust (I use frozen)
    1 Package of frozen chopped spinach
    1 Cup Cottage Cheese
    1 Cup Grated hard cheese (whatever you like)
    1 Egg
    Spices to taste... (nutmeg, or garlic/onion/basil/etc).
    
    Defrost the spinach, and squeeze the extra water out.  Mix everything
    up, place in the pie crust, and cook at 350 for 1/2 hour or so.
    
    I'll often add sliced mushrooms - chopped onions would also work.  I've
    added ricotta to the recipe, used mustard for flavor, and mixed
    parmesan cheese in, or sprinkled it on top.  There's lots or room for
    originality!!
    
    FWIW - my fiance doesn't like the idea of spinach, so I've used the
    same recipe with chopped broccoli - tastes great!  I generally double
    the recipe, as this freezes well (might use one package of brocolli,
    and one of spinach one day...).
    
    
    Sarah
    

Serves 6

2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
10 fresh tomatoes, medium ripe, cored and chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 cups fresh spinach, finely shredded and loosely packed
Grated Romano cheese, optional

Put olive oil in large, heavy kettle.  Add onion, celery and garlic.  Saute' 
until onion is translucent (do not brown).  Add wine, bay leaf and thyme.  
Cook until reduced by half.  Add tomatoes and chicken stock.  Simmer until 
tomatoes start to break up, being careful not to scorch the mixture.  Puree
in blender until smooth; strain through a medium sieve.  Be careful to fill 
blender cup only halfway, as hot liquids tend to erupt.  Season with salt and
pepper.  Divide spinach into six soup bowls.  Pour hot soup over the spinach.
Spinkle with grate Romano cheese.

    These recipes all sound great. One problem...I have fresh spinach! How
    much would I use in place of a 10 oz. package?  What is your estimate
    on how much volume fresh spinach loses when steamed?  For example,
    would 6 cups of loosely packed fresh leaves reduce to about 3 cups
    cooked?  Just some ballpark estimates needed, before I use too much or
    too little in these recipes.  Thanks.
    Sarah

    I would think it's more like 10 to 1.  My first thought was weigh it
    raw.  But them I realized that a lot of water comes out of the spinach
    as it steams, so 10 oz of raw spinach would end up being a few ounces 
    less than 10 oz of cooked spinach.  
    
    When you find out, let us know, though!

    steam alot, weigh out what you need, freeze the rest...

    Spinach & Mushroom Quiche
    
    Line one pie plate with a pie crust.  (I like Pillsbury - in the red
    box at the dairy case).  Put either fresh, can or frozen spinach on
    bottom.  Use your judgement as to amounts.  When can spinach is used, I
    use 2 cans just enough to fill the bottom of the plate.  Next, dice one
    medium to large size onion.  Add this along with mushrooms.  I then
    fill the pie with usually 2 cartons of egg beaters (egg substitute). 
    This saves on the cholesterol.  Add grated swiss chesse, parmesan cheese
    and/or cheddar cheese.  (Roughly about 2 8 oz. pkgs. - I use lo-fat.)
    You may mix in some 1 tsp. dry mustard to egg substitutes before adding 
    for additional flavor.
    
    
    Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes.  Once by mistake I added a
    pie crust cover to the quiche.  It turned out delicious.  It's worth a
    try if you want to be daring.    
    
    Corey

    Does anyone have a recipe for Spinach Artichoke dip like the one served
    at the Marketplace Cafe in Fanueil Hall?

    When I eat steamed spinach, something wierd happens to my teeth. Its as
    if the get covered with 'something'. The sensation can only be describe
    as feeling like the insides of my teeth are totally coated in tartar.
    
    The sensation disappears by brushing my teeth. The before and after
    feeling is as if I had not seen the dentist in ten years and have ten
    years growth of tartar, then the dentist descales and polishes my
    teeth.
    
    Anyone else encounter this? It only seems to happen with spinach.
    Angus

RE .30 - Me, too!  Weird...

				-- Nina

    re:30   Me three!