Healthier Spinach and Artichoke Dip

16 oz frozen spinach
8 oz neufchâtel cheese
8 oz nonfat plain greek yogurt
1 c fresh grated parmesan, not canned
16 oz artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cayenne pepper, more or less to taste

Cook spinach to package directions. Remove to mesh strainer and use a wooden spoon to press out as much water as possible. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, combine neufchâtel cheese, yogurt, and parmesan. Cook over medium heat until  neufchâtel is melted. Add remaining ingredients, including drained spinach, and heat through.

Serve warm as a dip with tortilla or whole wheat pita chips, or as a spread on toasted baguette or 12 grain bread. Will keep 5 days in refrigerator, simply reheat as needed. Yield approximately 4 cups dip.

Spinach and Sundried Tomato Panini

2 slices sourdough bread
1 T olive oil
2 T ricotta
2 T goat cheese, softened
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1 T sundried tomatoes, chopped
Small handful baby spinach

Heat panini press to medium high. Brush one side of one slice of bread with olive oil, place on panini press oiled side down. In small bowl, combine cheeses and seasoning and spread on bread while on press. Add tomatoes and spinach on cheese mixture. Brush second piece of bread with oil and place on top of sandwich, oiled side up. Cook until lightly golden. Yield one sandwich.


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Mini Quiche Lorraine

2 refrigerated pie crusts, room temperature
3 eggs
1 c milk
1 c cream
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t fresh ground nutmeg
6 oz frozen spinach, cooked and drained
1/2 c Swiss cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375.

Unroll pie crust. Using 2 1/2" round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out mini crusts as close together as possible. Press one cut crust into each muffin cup and up sides taking care not to tear crust. Set aside.

In medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Fold in spinach and cheese. Spoon mixture into prepared crust lined pans. Bake 15-20 minutes or until tops are set. Yield 30-40 mini quiches, depending on size of cutter.

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Fettuccine with Spinach Pesto ~ adapted from Real Simple

1 lb fettuccine
2 cloves garlic
1/3 c walnuts
1/2 lb fresh spinach, washed and blotted dry
1/3 to 1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c grated Parmesan, divided
1/2 t salt
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
1 t fresh lemon zest

Cook fettuccine according to package instructions. While pasta is boiling, place walnuts and garlic in food processor and pulse to chop.

Place half spinach, olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1/4 c Parmesan in food processor with garlic nut mixture and blend well. Scrape down bowl, add remaining spinach and process until very smooth, approximately 3 minutes.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add spinach pesto and toss well. Place in serving bowl and top with lemon zest and remaining Parmesan. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

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Spinach Dip Bread Bowl

1 ~ 16 oz package frozen spinach
16 oz light sour cream
1 c mayonnaise
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
large sourdough round loaf
tortilla chips

Place frozen spinach in heavy bottomed saucepan. Cover with water and boil 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 4 minutes. Drain off water and cool to touch. With clean hands, squeeze out as much water from spinach as possible. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.

Cut large opening in bread round. Remove bread from inside loaf to make a boat, leaving 1 inch border. Slice or tear removed bread into chunks and set aside. Pour spinach dip into bread bowl immediately before serving with bread chunks and tortilla chips.
Chef's Note: The original recipe says not to substitute light sour cream or fat free mayo in this recipe, however I used light sour cream and it was delicious. Next time I will use fat free mayo and let you know how it turns out. Stay tuned...

Spinach and Tortellini Soup

24 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
2 c fresh baby spinach leaves, washed
8 oz cheese tortellini, prepared
1/2 t each dried oregano and basil
1/4 t garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
shaved parmesan cheese, optional

Place chicken broth, dried spices, and garlic powder in medium saucepan and heat over medium-high flame until simmering. Add spinach, reduce heat and cover until wilted, approximately 3 minutes. Uncover and add tortellini, continue cooking until heated through.

Remove from heat, ladle into bowls and garnish with parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 2.

Parmesan Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 T olive oil
1 box Parmesan Cheese Pasta Roni
1 2/3 c water
2/3 c milk
2 T butter
1 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t garlic powder
4 c fresh spinach leaves
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet. Season cubed chicken with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink and juices run clear. Add water, milk and butter. Bring to boil. Add contents of Pasta Roni (pasta and seasonings), Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir until pasta is tender and sauce has thickened, approximately 6 minutes. Add spinach, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 5 minutes. Uncover, stir and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 5 as a main dish.

Steak and Spinach Salad Sandwich

This recipe may be one of my favorite summer sandwiches. It was inspired by the popular steak and blue cheese salads appearing recently in restaurants. I didn't have any blue cheese on hand (or even any blue cheese dressing) so I substituted Havarti. I have to say, I think I liked the result better than if I had used blue cheese.

I still love blue cheese in salads, especially with spinach, but it might have been difficult to work with on a sandwich.




Steak and Spinach Salad Sandwich
4 slices extra-sourdough bread
4 slices Havarti cheese
4 oz roast beef, deli sliced
1 T dijon mustard
2 c fresh baby spinach, thoroughly washed
1/2 c ranch dressing (recommended: Litehouse Homestyle Ranch)

In a medium bowl, mix spinach and ranch dressing thoroughly and set aside. Place two slices Havarti cheese on two slices of sourdough bread. Divide roast beef equally and place on cheese, also divide spinach salad and place on roast beef. Spread dijon mustard on remaining two slices of sourdough and top each sandwich. Slice and serve along with crunchy pita chips. Serves 2 to 3.

Pasta Pile-up with Chicken ~ adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

4 lasagna noodles, prepared to package instructions and cut in half
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 t salt
10 grinds fresh black pepper
4 T olive oil, divided plus more for garnish
2 t dried oregano
2 t dried basil
1/4 t anise seed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
10 oz fresh spinach
1 T fresh lemon juice
shaved parmesan cheese, for garnish

Wash and dry chicken breasts. Slice into 1/2 inch pieces and add salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of sliced chicken with half the oregano, basil and anise. Heat 2 T olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, spice side down, to pan and sprinkle with remaining oregano, basil and anise. Cook chicken until juices run clear, approximately 8 minutes, turning once half way through.

Remove chicken to paper towel to drain. Pour chicken fat from pan and add remaining olive oil until total in pan is approximately 2 T. Add garlic and saute over medium heat until golden. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Add spinach, mix well and remove from heat.

To plate, place 1/4 c tomato & spinach mixture on plate. Layer with lasagna noodle, another 1/4 c tomato spinach and chicken breast. Continue layering until all tomato spinach mixture is used. Top with shaved parmesan and drizzle with lemon and olive oil. Serves 4.

Spinach Alfredo

1/2 c butter (1 stick)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T red pepper flakes
8 oz cream cheese
1 c milk, divided
6 oz grated parmesan cheese
10 oz fresh baby spinach
chopped basil

In large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown.

Add pepper flakes and cream cheese. Whisk until combined. Don't worry if your cream cheese won't incorporate, just keep whisking until it's melted.

Add milk and whisk until smooth. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Add spinach, cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 3 minutes, remove cover and stir until spinach is wilted.

Serve over asiago ravioli or fettucini, garnish with additional shaved parmesan and basil. Serves 6.

Chef's Note: You could use pre-grated parmesan cheese for this dish, but I wouldn't recommend it. The anti-caking ingredients contained in canisters of cheese affect the melting capability and ultimately affect the taste of the dish. Use a fine box grater or micro-plane (my favorite) and grate your own cheese. It's worth the extra effort.

Baked Creamed Spinach

2 T butter
1 T garlic, minced
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 c freshly grated parmesan, plus 2 T for topping
1/4 t dried basil
1/4 t chives
1/4 t salt
dash ground marjoram
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 c whole milk or half and half
10 oz fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray small casserole dish with butter flavored cooking spray.

In large skillet over medium low heat, melt butter and saute garlic 1 minute, do not brown. Add remaining ingredients except spinach and stir until cream cheese is melted. Add spinach, cover and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Mix well and transfer to casserole dish. Top with additional parmesan cheese and bake uncovered 20 minutes. Turn oven to broil and cook another 5 minutes or until top is well browned. Serves 4.

Spinach Salad with Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dressing

1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c sour cream
2 T cider vinegar
3 oz blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
10 oz fresh spinach leaves
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 to 4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain.

In large bowl, whisk buttermilk, sour cream, and vinegar together. Stir in blue cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add spinach and red onion to bowl with dressing and toss well to combine.

Mound salad on plates and top with bacon and one chopped egg per salad. Serve immediately. Serves 2 as a main dish, serves 4 as a side dish.

Pasta with Spinach and Tomato

12 oz pasta, penne or rotini
1 T olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 T garlic, minced
1 ~14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
10 oz bag fresh baby spinach, rinsed
Fresh grated parmesan

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente, approximately 9 minutes.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon in olive oil until browned and crisp. Add garlic and cook another 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, and cook until heated through.

Place rinsed spinach in colander, and drain hot pasta over spinach to wilt. Transfer to skillet and toss with and bacon tomato mixture. Plate in individual pasta bowls and garnish with fresh grated parmesan. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: This looks similar to Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Bleu Cheese that I made last week, but the taste is quite different. Either dish would be wonderful and easy to prepare during the hot, lazy days of summer.

Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Bleu Cheese~ Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

1 pound spaghetti, prepared al dente
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz canned petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 t red pepper flakes
5 oz bleu cheese crumbles
1 c heavy cream
4 c fresh baby spinach

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, approximately 3 minutes. Add tomato and crushed red pepper to taste. Lower heat to medium and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in 4 oz of bleu cheese and continue stirring until completely melted. Add cream and season to taste. Remove from heat and add spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted, not more than one minute. Transfer to large serving bowl and toss with pasta. Top with remaining 1 oz bleu cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: This is an amazing recipe. The tart tomato, the tangy cheese, the bitter spinach... it comes together in a way that was wonderfully unexpected. I would serve this recipe to company as a side dish with roasted Italian spiced chicken for a main dish. It's that good.

Asian Noodle Salad~ Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Salad Ingredients
1/2 pound Linguine, prepared and cooled
1/4 head each green and purple cabbage, shredded
1/2~ 10 oz bag fresh baby spinach
1 whole each red, yellow, and orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 c fresh bean sprouts (a.k.a Mung bean sprouts)
1 c fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
3 scallions, diced
Red pepper flake, to taste

Asian Ginger Dressing Ingredients
1/3 c olive oil
1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c rice vinegar
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T sesame seed oil
3 T fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime

Mix salad ingredients together in large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Toss thoroughly with tongs to combine and serve immediately. Serves 2.

Chef's Note: If preparing ahead, individually pack vegetables and refrigerate up to two days. Dressing may be stored for three days in refrigerator.

If you think you would enjoy an overly detailed step-by-step tutorial of how to prepare this salad, visit The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Xiexie!

Spinach Brotchen

1/4 c butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 one onion, chopped
2 T steel cut Irish oats
3/4 lbs spinach, washed and chopped
4 c chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, diced
fresh nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
1 c heavy cream

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat and cook onion until soft, do not brown. Stir in oatmeal and continue cooking until oatmeal begins to darken slightly.

Add spinach, chicken broth, potatoes and pinch of grated nutmeg; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium low and simmer gently for 10 to 20 minutes until spinach is just cooked.

Purée with immersion blender, add cream. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Bring to a boil and serve immediately, sprinkle with additional nutmeg for garnish. Serves 4 - 6.

Chef's Note: The word "brotchen" refers to Irish soups thickened with oats. These primitive soup recipes predate those containing meat, which later became known as "broth".

Crustless Spinach and Feta Quiche

1 t vegetable oil
6-oz fresh spinach
4 eggs
1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 c milk
1/3 c half-and-half
1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
fresh nutmeg, scant to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease 10 inch pie plate. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat approximately 2 minutes. Add fresh spinach, cook until just wilted. Cover and remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in milk and half-and-half, then add spinach. Pour into prepared pan and top with feta cheese and grated nutmeg.

Bake 25 minutes, or until center is set. Cool 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 6.

Chef's Note: If you like stinky cheese, and I do, I would recommend using up to 1 cup of feta in this recipe. You could also increase the spinach to 10 oz for more veggie.

Crustless Quiche Lorraine with Spinach

1 c diced ham
1 t butter
5 oz fresh spinach
4 eggs
1/8 t fresh ground black pepper
1/2 t kosher salt
dash ground nutmeg
1/2 c half and half (or whole milk)
1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 T parmesan cheese, grated
non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9 inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with grated parmesan. In large non-stick skillet, saute diced ham in butter over medium heat to render fat, approximately 5 minutes. Add fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Remove skillet from heat.

Beat eggs together with half and half, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Add cheddar and jack cheese and mix well. Place ham and spinach in prepared pie plate and pour in egg and cheese mixture.

Bake in center of preheated oven 30 minutes or until center is set. Serves 6.

Artichoke and Walnut Pesto ~ adapted from Rachel Ray

8 oz pasta, recommended Barilla whole wheat penne
1/2 c toasted walnuts* (recipe to follow)
1 (15 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained
2 garlic cloves, pressed
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 t nutmeg
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 c olive oil
3 c fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

Toasted Walnuts
1/2 c shelled walnuts
2 T walnut oil

Over medium-high flame, heat walnut oil 3 minutes in medium skillet. Add walnuts and toast 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove walnuts to paper towel to drain and allow to cool.

Prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. In food processor, combine walnuts, artichoke hearts, garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan cheese, nutmeg and several grinds of pepper (to taste). Pulse until chopped. Stream in olive oil until pesto forms. Place pesto in bottom of large pasta bowl.

Drain pasta reserving 1/4 c pasta water. Add hot pasta to bowl and add spinach. Toss to wilt greens and evenly coat pasta with pesto, adding reserved pasta water as desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: Special thanks to Amber for recommending this recipe. We loved it!

Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich

4 ciabatta rolls, halved horizontally
2 T vinaigrette dressing (recommended: Brianna's French vinaigrette)
4 oz plain goat cheese
1/2 c roasted red peppers
baby spinach leaves

Drizzle bottom half of each roll with dressing and spread goat cheese evenly over dressing. Add layer of peppers and then layer of spinach leaves. Top with remaining half of roll. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: If you would like to roast your own peppers, see this recipe. I used prepared jarred roasted red peppers in this sandwich recipe.