Beef and Spinach Enchiladas

(I wish I had some bright, cheery Fiestaware plates to serve these yummy enchiladas on!!)

Sneaking spinach into these yummy enchiladas is a great way to add a little nutritional umph to your supper!

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen spinach
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 (4.5 oz. can) chopped green chiles
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded Monterey jack cheese
8 flour tortillas
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
salsa

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish.

In large skillet, cook ground beef and garlic over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked. Drain.

Add spinach; cook 3-5 minutes or until spinach is thawed, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium; stir in cream cheese, cumin, chiles, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese until combined.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of beef mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up; place seam side down in sprayed baking dish.

In medium bowl, combine tomato sauce and salsa; mix well. Spoon over tortillas; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Love Me

Spinach Melt Sandwich

I have been in classes for work for the last two weeks which accounts a little for my blogging absence. Commuting downtown when I am used to a 5 minute drive, sitting for 8 hours when I am used to being on my feet, and having to wear real clothes when I am used to wearing scrubs is putting a toll on my mind and body.

The one up-side of my classes is that my sweet, older instructor loves to eat . . . more than just eat, she loves to eat and socialize. This means lunches out at fancy restaurants or catered lunches!

There is a quaint little deli just a few blocks from IU Health/Methodist (where my classes are being held) called the Side Street Deli. I have totally fallen in love with their spinach melt! I love it, love it, love it!

Spinach, tomatoes, provolone cheese on wheat bread - melted and grilled to perfection!

Commuting, sitting, and wearing real clothes might not be so bad after all!

Love Me

Cheesy Spinach Croissants

Warm, buttery croissants could feasibly go with just about any and every meal in my book!

These cheesy spinach croissants pair perfectly with tomato soup, meatballs, or roast beef. They are also a great appetizer for a dinner party.

I have two versions of cheesy spinach croissants that I love - one is super simple and the other a little more complicated. But BOTH are great - I mean, how can you go wrong with the Pillsbury Dough Boy?

Simple version:

1 can of refrigerated crescent rolls
frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
Velveeta

Open can of crescent rolls; unroll and lay each out flat. Place a spoonful of spinach on wide end of each roll and top with a small square of Velveeta. Roll each crescent roll as directed on can. Bake as directed on can.

*sliced water chestnuts can also be added - simply mix in with spinach.

More complicated version:

1/2 c. chopped onion
4 oz. can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
2 tsp. jar-type minced garlic
10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
3 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. nonfat sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Dash ground nutmeg
2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls

In sprayed skillet, saute onion, mushrooms, and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, sour cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until thoroughly combined.

Separate dough; place spinach mixture evenly on wide end of each roll. Roll as directed on can; place on nonstick baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rolls. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Love Me

Oriental Spinach Salad

This is another DELISH spinach dish! A dear friend from the Breast Cancer Support Group I lead gave me this recipe - thanks Debbie!

The water chestnuts really send this salad over the top in yummy-ness!

2 bags spinach, torn
2 cans water chestnuts, sliced thin
2 cups fresh bean sprouts (or approx. 1 bag)
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, fried and broken into small pieces

Dressing:

1 cup salad oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small red onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup catsup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Place all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake or use a blender to lightly blend. Ingredients can be mixed the day before and stored in the refrigerator.

Toss the salad and add the dressing just before serving.

*Note: I think this makes a little too much dressing for my liking. I would recommend pouring the dressing on a little at a time and then tossing the salad - adding only the amount of dressing you want.

Love Me

Creamed Spinach

I almost embarrassed to post yet another spinach recipe, but this one is just too quick, easy, and yummy not to share. I saw it on TV the other day in a segment featuring bar food. Nice, right?

Considering the fact that we don't frequent bars, I was a foreigner to creamed spinach.

My mom used to make creamed peas on occasion. They are nice but totally different.

You can use either fresh spinach or frozen spinach for this. I did not have any heavy cream on hand so I used the half and half that I generously use in my coffee.

spinach (either fresh or frozen)
cream
butter
salt

Put spinach in large stock pot. Allow to cook down until soft.

IMPORTANT: Drain spinach well.

While spinach is cooking down, put desired amount of cream, butter and salt into deep skillet. Allow to reduce by half.

Add well-drained cooked spinach to cream. Heat through. Serve warm.

Bree's Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love my sister-in-law Bree! She has brought so many new and wonderful things into our lives.

(Bree and Grace in a picture I lifted from her new blog City Girl)

Grace and Lilly of course top the list - but this salad ranks pretty high too!

Have I mentioned that I LOVE spinach? Maybe I have . . . cheesy spinach soup, farm fresh spinach quiche, stuffed shells Florentine. I guess I have mentioned it a time or two.

However, I may not have mentioned that I LOVE strawberries too.

This salad has BOTH! Covered in a snappy vinaigrette.

It screams SPRING!!!!!!

Vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. minced onion

In small bowl mix above ingredients. Chill one hour.

Salad:

10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup almonds - blanched and slivered

Combine spinach, strawberries, and almonds in large salad bowl. Stir chilled vinaigrette and pour over salad; toss. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before serving.

*Note: This makes a BIG salad - great for family gatherings. I would recommend the recipe in half for just serving at home.

Thanks Bree for emailing me this recipe so I could do this post!

Love Me

Cheesy Spinach Soup

This soup is somewhat like broccoli cheese soup - but only with spinach!

I have loved spinach since I was a little girl. What's not to love?

This God-given dark, leafy green is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, vitamin E, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper. Plus, it’s a good source of selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids.

To learn more about spinach, go to http://www.naturally-healthy-eating.com/benefits-of-spinach.html.

Aside from being good for you, this soup is easy to make, smooooooth and delicious!

2 cups (16 oz.) of fat-free chicken broth with 30% less sodium
1 (9 oz.) pkg. of frozen spinach
1 tsp. onion powder
1 (12 oz.) can of fat-free evaporated milk
3 Tbsp. flour
8 oz. (1/4 block) Velveeta cheese, cubed

In saucepan, combine broth, frozen spinach, and onion powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until spinach is thoroughly cooked.

In small bowl or gravy mixer, combine milk and flour; blend until smooth. Add to soup; cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

Reduce heat to low; simmer 2 minutes. Add cheese; cook and stir until cheese is melted and soup is thoroughly heated.

Serve soup with a full-flavored sandwich like ham on rye, turkey on pumpernickel, or venison BBQ on buns like we had last night.

If serving with chips, try Lay's Lightly Salted Chips.

Love Me

Farm-Fresh Spinach Quiche

Be sure to click on picture to enlarge.
Pretty impressive fluted crust wouldn't you say?

This dish is amazing. I made it this morning and it was a big hit - I think it is the bacon that makes it so good.

Serve it for breakfast - or like we had it this morning as a brunch for sleepy heads who stayed up all night at the youth group lock-in.

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled and divided
9-inch pie crust
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Sprinkle half of crumbled bacon on bottom of pie crust. Mix cheese, spinach, milk, eggs, and flour together. Pour over crust. Sprinkle remaining crumbled bacon on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour until center is set. Makes 8 servings.

*Note the two jelly jars.

They contain prune breakfast butter that I made today too.
I will highlight this recipe sometime in February.

Spinach - it's not just for Popeye!

Love Me