Baked Spinach Mushroom Quesadillas

 Quick and delicious from "Dizzy, Busy & Hungry".

Ingredients

4 8-inch tortillas

Olive oil

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 cups chopped spinach

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place mushroom slices in microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 - 3 minutes to soften them.

Drain and set aside.

Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with olive oil and place on baking sheet, oiled side down.

Distribute half of the cheese over half of each tortilla. Then layer spinach and mushrooms, then the other half of the cheese. Fold the tortilla half over the top.

Bake about 6 minutes, then flip and bake another 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are browned

Spinach Artichoke Dip with Bacon

The addition of bacon and cream cheese to a traditional spinach artichoke dip take it to the next level. This is the perfect "please bring an appetizer" dish,  guaranteed to disappear quickly. Serve with celery sticks, tortilla chips or pita chips.

This recipe comes from "Simply Recipes"

Ingredients

6 slices of bacon, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 or 12 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp, salt
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces shredded Italian cheese blend
1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the chopped bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy.
Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the artichoke hearts, spinach, red pepper flakes and salt. Cook until all are warmed through, about 5 minutes.

In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, Italian cheese, sour cream, bacon and spinach-artihoke mixture until thoroughly combined.

Transfer mixture to a 1-2 quart baking dish and bake until bubbly around  the edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.

Best to eat this dip right away. If it cools and starts to firm up, microwave a minute to softent he cheeses.

Blueberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

My garden is full of fresh spinach, ready to pick, and the blueberries are on sale at the market - looks like this is the perfect salad to make.

Recipe Source: Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

For the Salad

4 ounces fresh spinach
1/3 cup (or more) crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup candied walnuts (recipe below)

For the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon finely minced shallot
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup avocado oil
1/2 Tablespoon poppy seeds

For the candied walnuts

1 cup unsalted chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon butter
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the dressing:  Blend lemon juice, shallot, honey, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth in food processor or with emulsion blender. Add avocado oil slowly into mixture while blending. Blend until fully incorporated. Stir in poppy seeds. Store in refrigerator.

For the candied walnuts: Melt butter in skillet. Add walnuts, honey, brown sugar and salt. Saute 5 minutes, stirring. Pour onto parchment paper and separate walnuts to cool.

For the salad: Combine washed spinach, feta cheese, blueberries and candied walnuts in large bowl. Add 1/2 of the salad dressing and toss to coat evenly.  Serve right away with extra dressing on the side.

Slow Cooker Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Soup

With less than 10 minutes of prep time in the morning, you can throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and return at the end of the day for a delicious soup.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 (13.2 ounce) package smoked turkey sausage, sliced thin (or for a spicier version of this soup, use smoke andouille sausage)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced into very small pieces
3 carrots, peeled and sliced (and halved, if large)
3 stalks of celery, sliced
2 (15 ounce) cans Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

Heat olive oil in small skillet. Add sliced sausage and saute, stirring occasionally, until browned.
Place sausage, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, oregano and bay leaves into slow cooker. Add chicken broth and 2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on low heat for 7 - 8 hours (or high for 3 - 4 hours).
Just before serving, stir in spinach.

This recipe comes from Damn Delicious.

Tried and True Spinach Casserole

This recipe must be over 30 years old, but it is still a favorite and makes a regular appearance in our dinner rotation.

Ingredients

2 packages frozen chopped spinach
1 small carton cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook spinach and drain thoroughly, squeezing to remove all the water.
Mix all ingredients in medium-sized bowl. Place in casserole dish. Dot with butter, salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for one hour at 300 degrees.

Orzo with Spinach and Tomatoes

Ingredients

3/4 pound fresh spinach, washed and stems removed
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 lemons, zested
1 1/2 cups orzo, cooked al dente
1 Tablespoon olive oil
24 basil leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the spinach leaves in stacks, one on top of the other, Thinly slice the stacks of leaves to make spinach confetti. Place shredded spinach in bottom of a medium sized bowl.
Cut the grape tomatoes in half and add them to the same bowl.
Zest two lemons. Add zest to bowl and save lemons for another time.
Add hot and cooked orzo to the mixture. The heat of the pasta will wilt the spinach, release the oil from the lemon zest and warm the tomatoes. Toss lightly to combine.
Drizzle one Tablespoon of olive oil over the pasta and stir to combine.
Shred basil leaves in similar manner to the spinach. Add shredded basil, salt and pepper.
Toss to combine.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts - drained and coarsely chopped
1 package frozen chopped spinach - thawed and drained
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella cheese
Toasted baguettes and crackers

Instructions

Spray inside of a small crock pot with cooking oil spray.
Mix mayonnaise and parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Stir in artichokes, spinach, and bell pepper. Spoon into crockpot.
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Cover and cook on low for one hour or until cheese is melted.
Serve warm with baguette or crackers.

Tried and True Knorr Spinach Dip

This recipe from the package of Knorr soup mix is a old standby that everyone loves.

Ingredients

1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package Knorr dry vegetable soup mix
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onions


Instructions

Squeeze liquid from spinach.
In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate for two hours before serving.

Spinach Pesto

When my early summer garden is producing a lot more spinach than basil, I make spinach pesto. This can be frozen and enjoyed all winter.

Ingredients

4 cups washed spinach, stems removed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 Tablespoons walnuts (or pine nuts)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice (if you plan to freeze the pesto to maintain the color)


Instructions

Place garlic, walnuts, basil and a little olive oil in food processor and puree until well combined. Add spinach leaves, a few at a time along with additional oil. Puree until well combined. Add cheese, salt and lemon juice. Process until smooth.

Spinach and Bacon Salad

In the early summer, spinach is the first thing ready in the garden. That is when we have this salad regularly with spinach greens picked fresh. But, it is good anytime of year. I think it is a great side salad for chicken or turkey. It is also good as a main dish when topped with grilled shrimp. The recipe comes from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, diced
1/4 cup white vinegar
6 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt


Instructions

Cut bacon into small pieces. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Add onion slices and saute for 1 - 2 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in vinegar  and stir until heated. Remove from heat. Add sugar and then add spinach to the warm bacon-onion mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss 1 - 2 minutes until spinach is coated and wilted. Serve immediately.

Spinach Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

October 29, 2014

My grandsons love mac and cheese. Whenever, I am taking care of them, they always request mac and cheese for lunch. This recipe was adapted from one on the back of a package of Kraft grated cheddar cheese. I like homemade mac and cheese rather than the box mixes which have added artificial flavor and color. Like Grandma Word always said, "Made from scratch is best."  Judging by the way Caleb and Owen devour this, I think she was right on this one.

Ingredients

3 cups elbow pasta
6 ounces fresh spinach, washed and cut into bite-size pieces
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat oven to 350F.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Add spinach during final few minutes of cooking.

Fry bacon in saucepan until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, reserving drippings. Add flour to drippings in pan. Cook and stir one minute. Add milk gradually. Bring to boil, stirring constantly until thickened.
Add  1 cup cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese to milk mixture. Stir until cheese is melted. Add pasta mixture and bacon. Stir until combined.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Transfer mac and cheese mixture to the casserole. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 20 minutes.

Makes 6 servings, about 1 cup each.