My preferance for spinach is raw or "wilted in with hot dressing"..I don't like it sauted or from a can..I do like in soups, and in cheesy dishes..
For my husband I saute it in EVOO with a pat of butter and kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper..it's the best 2-3 minute side I can do. LOL

Hi Lars,

Good topic! Yes, I liked spinach as a child, because Popeye ate it & because my mother put vinegar on it, which really sparked up the canned flavor. Now, my favorite dishes with spinach are omelettes, spinach salads, & hot artichoke & spinach dip (though that could be because I LOVE artichokes). :)

Kathleen

I didn't much like spinach as a child but didn't really dislike either. I have no idea if it was fresh or from a can. We lived in CA so fresh should have been available but that doesn't necessarily mean Mom didn't use canned. We also had it as a stand alone side dish with malt vinegar & bacon. The bacon's probably why I didn't mind eating it as a child. :)

Today, I love spinach &, like Lars, almost always have fresh in the crisper. I use it in a multitude of dishes...so much so that I saute shallots & mushrooms in a bit of EVOO, add the spinach & some zest, allow to just barely wilt & then freeze in about 1 cup sizes making it very easy to add to rice, pasta, bread doughs, soups, omelets...whatever.

Fresh baby spinach is our favorite salad green also. I often make large spinach salads (with a few micro greens thrown in for variety), mandarin oranges, almonds/walnuts, pumpkin seeds, red grapes, red onion, cuke, & whatever else is hanging around. Then, I top it with a piece of grilled salmon or chicken & call it dinner.

Also really like it in my b@stardized version of pilaff.

/tricia

I did not have spinach until I was an adult. I doubt I would have liked it as a child because I didn't like any kind of greens back then.

My favorite is also spinach salad. I can't eat it very often because I used to eat it almost every day and it started causing kidney stones!

My hubby likes it sauteed in a pan with evoo, garlic, and chopped freshed tomatoes. Just barely cooked. That's a copy from a restaurant.

I like to take that left over, or frozen spinach straight from the bag, and mix with sauteed onions - boiled, peeled potatoes- cottage cheese- and plenty of black pepper. Then roll it up in some phyllo or puff pastry and bake. I prefer phyllo. This came about because I had left over Pierogi Ruski filling (potato, onion, cottage cheese) that I needed to use up. Now it's a favorite.

We also really like it mixed in with creamy or cheesy sauces over pasta. Another restaurant copy.

I adore spinach!

It's wonderful sauteed with leeks (frozen spinach defrosted and squeezed dry works well), then mixed with feta (or a combo of feta & cottage cheese) and stuffed into a portobello mushroom. Sprinkle with panko and parmesan and bake. If you want to be really decadent, brush your mushroom with truffle oil first!

As to my history with spinach, I've always loved all veggies ('cept broccoli, lol)

I have always liked spinach, even as a child. My mom cooked it quickly in its own water after rinsing, so I steam it for a couple of minutes in a steam basket and then drain it, add butter and S & P.

However now that tender spinach leaves are available here, I tend to also add a few leaves of raw spinach to a salad. This one is my copycat version of a salad I had at a Canary restaurant run by two young women who are adventurous in their dishes.

baby spinach, rocket leaves & ruby-edged lettuce for 4 servings*

For 1 1/2 cups dressing, enough for 4 salad servings:

3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS red wine vinegar
3 TBS grated orange peel
2 teasp brown sugar
1 teasp ground cumin
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

garnish:

2 TBS sultana raisins
2 TBS pinenuts
3 strips of bacon, diced

1. Fry bacon bits until crisp. Drain on paper and put aside.
2. Put into a blender the orange juice and zest, the two vinegars, brown sugar and cumin and blend for a few moments.
3. Slowly add the olive oil while blending, then salt & pepper to taste
4. Put half the dressing into your salad bowl and add all the greens, mixing and turning with two large spoons until greens are well coated
5. Mix in the pine nuts, raisins and bacon bits
6. Pile onto serving plates and drizzle a little more dressing on top.

* Also good is spinach with red onion rings and mandarin orange slices.

Here it is again at that restaurant where have added sauteed slivers of leek on top.

SharonCb

I love fresh sauted spinach as a side dish to just about anything. Olive oil, garlic, hot pepper flakes and in the pan goes the spinach and then it's done! A little drizzle of balsamic vinegar before serving.

Here's a saute I do now as a side for pork that DH really likes - the recipe was from a thin paper cookbook for sale at the checkout counter of my grocery store many years back (you know - the "impulse items")

Spinach with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Apples

2 large bunches spinach (or 2 10-oz. bags)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup cubed peeled apple
3-4 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wash and dry spinach.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the oil and cook raisins, pine nuts, apple and shallots about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until raisins are plump. Stir salt into the mixture, gradually add spinach and toss until spinach is just wilted. Serves 4

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This is one of our winter favorites, from Nina Simonds "Asian Noodles" cookbook. The author says "This is the dish I crave when I am feeling a cold or the flu coming on - a big bowl of noodles topped with spinach and tender pieces of beef infused with garlic, ginger, anise and cinnamon."

CINNAMON BEEF NOODLES

1 tsp. safflower or corn oil
6 scallions, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 inch sections and smashed lightly with the flat side of a knife
6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed lightly with the flat side of a cleaver, and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons hot chile paste
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon aniseed (I substitute fennel seed)

8 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 lbs. chuck or beef stew meat, trimmed of fat and gristle, and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 bunch of spinach (about 10 ounces) trimmed, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound flat Chinese wheat-flour noodles, udon or other flat noodles such as fettuccine, cooked until just tender, rinsed under warm water and drained
3 tablespoons minced scallions

Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add the oil and heat about 30 seconds. Add the first 6 ingredients (through the aniseed) and stir fry until fragrant (about 15 seconds). Add water and soy sauce, bring to a boil. Add beef, bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook on a simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender. Remove ginger slices and cinnamon sticks, and skim the surface to remove fat. Add spinach, bring to a boil. Ladle over bowls of noodles and sprinkle with scallions.

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I have another recipe for a soba noodle dish with soy broth, fresh salmon and spinach but I can't find it. Still haven't organized things since our move.

This is a great post, Lars. Thank you. I'm looking forward to adding to my spinach recipes!

seagrass

Spinach has always for all time and forever been my favorite vegetable, even as a kid. I'll eat it no matter whether it's canned (school cafeteria), frozen, (Mom's version when we were growing up, and still mine frequently) or fresh. Every winter I do my best to grow spinach, but I can never grow enough, so I have to buy it also.

I'll eat it in anything, from quesedillas or enchiladas to salads or sauteed, or lasagna, and even throw some in my soups or pastas. I'd probably even try spinach ice cream....well, maybe not. My only sadness is that DH hates garlic with greens, including spinach, so I've had to quit sauteing it in garlic, but no matter, I use red onion or some other onion-like substitute such as shallots or leeks. Spinach sauteed with onions that have been cooked just long enough to caramelize is really good, almost as good as if it had garlic in it. I have an Italian cookbook that has a recipe for sauteed Swiss chard, spinach and garlic as a topping for polenta. I've made that with the Swiss chard and I've made it with all spinach, and loved it both ways. Now that DH has told me he hates it with garlic, I'll use shallots or leeks next time, and I bet it'll be just as good - well, almost as good. I love garlic about as much as spinach.

From: The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook by Jack Bishop

Polenta with Garlicky Greens

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups medium-grind cornmeal (I buy cornmeal labeled as Polenta)
Salt
1 1/2 pounds chard
1 1/2 pounds flat-leaf spinach
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
6 medium garlic cloves, slivered
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. To cook the polenta, pour 8 cups water into a medium, heavy saucepan set over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add 2 teaspoons salt and lower the heat to medium. Whisk in the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream. This should take almost 1 minute. Make sure to whisk the cornmeal continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Continue whisking as the cornmeal comes back to a boil. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the polenta starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat until the polenta is at the barest simmer. Cover the pot and cook very slowly, stirring with a long handled wooden spoon every 10 minutes or so, until the cornmeal loses it's raw flavor, 35 to 40 minutes.

2. While the polenta is cooking, remove and discard the stems from the chard and spinach. Tear off the green portions from either side of the rib that runs down the center of each chard leaf. Discard the ribs. Tear any large chard and spinach leaves in half. Wash the leaves in successive bowls of cold water until grit no longer appears in the bottom of the bowl. Shake the leaves to remove excess water but do not dry them. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and saute over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the greens to the pan. Stir to coat the leaves with the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook stirring 2 or 3 times, until the greens are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the cover and simmer until some of the liquid evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes. The greens should be moist but not swimming in liquid.

5. When the polenta has finished cooking, stir in the butter and add more salt if needed. Divide the polenta among large individual bowls. Spoon some of the greens over each portion. Serve immediately.

This recipe makes a lot, and is likely to feed closer to 6 people than 4, unless you're really, really hungry.

Sally

I like spinach steamed, then served with a little butter and a shake of nutmeg stirred into it. It also goes very well in stirfries, and, of course, in Spanokopitas to which I'm very partial.

My son has never liked cooked spinach. No, even as a child he preferred his spinach raw. His favourite salad was a mixture of raw spinach torn into bit-sized pieces, finely diced celery, halved tiny tomatoes, a little grated onion, and French dressing. Simple, and delicious.

I like raw spinach too, and I keep forgetting to make salads with it. I generally put hard boiled egg in my spinach salad, although I'm not sure why, and I'm sure I could omit it. I hadn't thought of putting it in quesadillas or enchiladas! Sharon's salad sounds interesting, but I think I would omit the raisins. For some reason, I don't like nutmeg with spinach, even though that crops up in a lot of Italian recipes that I otherwise like.

I often add sautéed spinach to a Velouté sauce and serve it with noodles (usually large flat egg noodles) and Parmesan. I had forgotten how much I liked it in soup.

Lars

We always had spinach in our garden when I was a little girl so we'd eat it either in salads or cooked in the summer and I remember my mom blanching and freezing it for winter. I don't recall having canned spinach but when our vegetable garden became smaller, we used the frozen boxes of spinach. I liked it.

My mom would put mix butter and vinegar in with cooked spinach and top it with a chopped hard cooked egg. You'd think being PA Dutch, we would have had the salad with a hot bacon dressing but the salad dressing would most often be the red French kind and topped with toasted almonds. My grandmother used to make spinach salad with hard cooked eggs, sliced scallions, crumbled bacon and a dressing of mayo, heavy cream, sugar, mustard and cider vinegar. That was the same dressing we used on dandelion greens in the spring.

I remember exactly where I was when I first tasted the spinach dip made with Knorr vegetable soup mix and served in a hollowed out pumpernickle bread. I thought it was great and must have eaten gallons of it over the years.

I like it sauteed in olive oil with chopped garlic, in all varieties of salads, mixed with pasta or rice, in soups and so many other ways.

I use both fresh spinach from our farmers' market and frozen chopped spinach but I don't like the baby spinach leaves that come prewashed and bagged in the grocery store. They seem tasteless to me.

If I had to pick the spinach recipe I make most often, it's this one that I've posted before.

LEMON SPINACH SALAD

1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 lb. young spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
6 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, slivered
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 hard cooked egg
Freshly ground black pepper

Wash mushrooms and combine with spinach. Chill. Mix oil, lemon juice, salt, cheese and garlic. Chop up egg and sprinkle over salad. Add lemon rind to salad and grind pepper on top. Pour dressing over salad right before serving and toss.

Note: Best if dressing is made about an hour ahead of time and garlic pieces removed before pouring on salad. Crumbled bacon pieces can be added if desired.

DH's favorite spinach recipe is this one. We eat meatless meals a couple of times a week and love all types of vegetable timbales, which show up in many old cookbooks.

SPINACH TIMBALES

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Cheese or hollandaise sauce, if desired

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain thoroughly. In small mixer bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Stir in cooked spinach and remaining ingredients except sauce. Divide mixture between 5 greased 6 oz. custard cups.

Place cups on a rack in a 10" skillet. Fill skillet with hot (not boiling) water to 1/2". Cover, cook over medium heat for 18 to 22 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Loosen edges with knife; unmold. If desired, serve with sauce. Makes 5 (1/2 cup) servings.

Note: I usually cover the contents of the pot with a loose tent of foil while steaming so the condensation doesn't drip back onto the timbales.

I love spinach. Even as a child. Also loved beet greens .

I like it just quickly sauted with butter and garlic. You already have the Stracciatella Soup recipe. Here are a few more of my favourite spinach recipes.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Layered Crab And Spinach Terrine
================================

From the California Culinary Academy

Crab Layer

1/2 pound crab meat, picked over and flaked

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 large eggs

Spinach Layer

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons flour

1/2 cup whipping cream

2/3 cup half and half

1 1/4 pounds cooked spinach
Drained and squeezed to remove excess moisture

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sugar

salt to taste

Sauce

Mix together,

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely minced roasted red pepper
1 clove of minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste.

Clives for garnish
. Preheat oven to 375°F. For the crab layer: In a medium bowl combine
the crab, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne.
Stir in eggs and set mixture aside.

For the Spinach layer: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan until foamy.
Whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring
constantly.

Whisk in whipping cream and half-and-half. Bring to a boil and then
reduce heat and simmer slowly 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, scraping
down the sides and around the bottom as necessary. Mixture will
thicken as cooks.

Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Let cool. Stir in eggs, one at
a time then add black pepper, nutmeg, sugar and salt.

To assemble the terrine: Grease an 8 cup loaf pan/terrine pan with
butter. Spoon half the crab mixture in the bottom and cover with all
of the spinach mixture. Spoon remaining crab mixture over the spinach.

Set the terrine in a baking pan and pour 1 inch of hot water into the
baking pan. Bake uncovered until golden brown and puffy. Approximately
30 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack and then refrigerate.

To serve, run a knife around the edge and invert on to a serving
platter. Slice about 1/2 thick slices and place two on each plate.
Decorate plate with a lettuce leaf and place a dollop of the sauce on
the lettuce leaf. Garnish with a few chives.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Spinach Squares
===============
These are really good. They are from a Woman's Day Home Entertainment Magazine from Dec. 1982.

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
8 eggs beaten
10 to 12 soda crackers, crumbled (2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons herbs, (thyme, rosemary, dill)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese Parmesan cheese
paprika
. Thaw and drain spinach. In large skillet, heat oil. Saute spinach,
onion, garlic and parsley until lightly cooked. Add eggs, crackers,
seasonings and Cheddar cheese, mix together. Pour into a greased 8 1/4
X 13 1/2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and
paprika and bake at 325 for 45 minutes, or until knife inserted in
centre comes out clean. cut in small squares, about 1 3/4 inches. May
be served hot or cold. Makes 36 squares

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Spinach, Dill and Goat cheese Bread Pudding
===========================================

1 to 2 tablespoons butter
2 leeks chopped (White part)
1 garlic clove minced
approximately 2 cups, of fresh baby leaf spinach (tightly Packed)
1/4 cup fresh dill chopped

5 slices of bread, buttered, crusts removed and cut into 1 inch cubes.

2 to 3 eggs
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper
goat cheese (small pieces)

1/4 Parmesan cheese

.
Heat butter and saute leeks, when tender add garlic and saute for a
minute or so. Add the spinach and fry until just wilted. Remove from
heat.

In a large bowl beat the eggs with the cream. Season with salt and
pepper. Mix in the leek mixture and add the chopped dill. Add the
bread cubes. Mix well and then add the goat cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Pour into a buttered casserole dish, or 3 or 4 ramekins, sprinkle with
a little more Parmesan cheese and bake in a Bain Marie for approximate
20 minutes or until golden.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Vittorio's Spinach Salad
========================

Washed and dried spinach (Baby)

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled

4 or 5 cleaned mushrooms, sliced

1 can of artichoke hearts halved or quartered

3 Roma tomatoes, quartered

2 chopped green onions

Kalamata olives
Dressing

1/4 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 clove of garlic
2 or 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/2 cup homemade mayo or Hellmans
salt and pepper

.
Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Decorate with eggs, mushrooms,
artichoke hearts, tomatoes and green onions and olives.

Drizzle with dressing and toss.

Can be made on individual plates as well.

Dressing

Soak tarragon and garlic in vinegar. Add salt to dissolve.

Mix vinegar mixture into mayonnaise and adjust seasoning to taste.

This soup/stew tastes so good on a cold winter night.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER STEW 4 servings

4 slices bacon
1 cup thinly sliced leeks
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups half-and-half
2 cups milk
1 1/2 pints shucked oysters and liquor
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups thinly sliced raw spinach leaves
Salt and black pepper
1 Tbs. butter (optional)
Oyster crackers to serve with stew

In a large heavy saucepan or soup kettle, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel, crumble and reserve. Pour off all but 2 Tbs. of drippings from the skillet.

Add the leek and celery and saute over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the cayenne pepper.

Add the half-and-half and the milk and bring to a simmer. Add the oysters (cut large ones in half) and the Worcestershire sauce. Return to a simmer. Stir in the spinach and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the spinach is just wilted and the oysters are cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Swirl in the optional butter, if used, and serve immediately in large, shallow bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with the reserved bacon.

Oh ruthanna, thank you for that recipe! I love oysters rockefeller (on the half shell). I really miss them! Haven't had that in years since I'm land locked now. I've been trying to get up the nerve to buy the pints of oysters at the store. If I ever do, I'm making this!

I've always loved spinach. As a child, my mother always prepared it creamed, with sauteed bacon and onions. I can't think of any way that I don't like it.

Spinach is matched so perfectly with eggs and bacon, it makes the best accompaniment to breakfast.

I still remember the first time I had eggs florentine. I was 12 and we were at a nice restaurant for brunch. I thought the chef was a genius.

I'm with seagrass on the Asian slant. I usually saute fresh spinach with sesame oil, miso, sake, soy/mirin, maybe a bit of sugar. I found this kabocha spinach squash soup, googling around, it looks good (except for all the work to peel and chop kabocha, I love it but I'm lazy)

An easy appetizer: Work finely chopped parsley, chives or whatever fresh herbs of your choice into softened cream cheese. Spread mixture on a small spinach leaf, roll and tie with a length of chive stem. If the chives are in blossom tuck one under the tie for decoration. Try same method using arugula leaves. Refrigerate under a damp towel until serving time. Guests will be impressed.

One of the worst horrors of my mother's cooking, my brother and I both agree, was the canned spinach soused in cider vinegar that she used to give us when we were very small. I don't think it was the flavor so much as the slimy texture that bothered us so. Then we moved to California and she discovered fresh spinach, which we would eat quite happily, and it was cheaper too.

I love spinach in salads, but it really isn't my favorite cooked green, though I like it. We are blessed here in that we can get a wide variety of greens pretty much all year...chard, turnip, kale, mustard, collards and if one is willing to drive to the Asian store, a variety of the greens that Asians favor.

I love to make spinach salads with fruit of some sort, red onions, thinly sliced mushrooms, and some sort of nut or sunflower seeds with a home made buttermilk or ranch dressing. Sometimes if I'm feeling wicked, I make a warm, honey bacon dressing. Not hot enough to wilt the salad, but warm enough to soften it just a wee bit.

I do like Spinach cooked Japanese-style. They parboil it, quickly dousing fresh spinach into rapidly boiling water and removing it as soon as it has changed color to thrust it into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. The raw flavor is gone, the leaves a brilliant emerald green, and the stems still have a bit of crunch. Then, it is dressed in different ways. These recipes are both for one bunch of spinach.

Sesame Dressing Spinach (Horenso no Goma-Ae)

4 T sesame seeds
1 t sugar (or to taste)
2 T soy sauce
3 T dashi*

Toast the sesame seeds, and grind them coarsely in a suribachi (a Japanese ceramic mortar that has sharp ridges in the bottom) if you have one, in a mini food processor if you don't. Mix the rest of the ingredients in and toss the dressing with the spinach, bruising the spinach slightly to help the flavors penetrate. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds as a garnish.

Soused Spinach (Horenso no Ohitashi)

1 1/4 c dashi
pinch salt
1 t mirin**
3 t soy sauce
1/3 c hana-katsuo (dried bonito flakes)
sugar to taste (optional)

Bring the dashi to a boil, and reduce to simmer. Add salt, mirin, and soy sauce. Transfer this liquid into a bowl and force-cool by twirling the bowl in a larger bowl of ice and water.

Add the spinach to the marinade and refrigerate for 5 or 6 hours. To serve, garnish with a generous sprinkle of the bonito flakes.

*dashi (or dashi-no-moto) is a light fish stock, made from bonito and kelp. It is available in Asian food stores, or some regular grocery stores that have a fairly good Asian food section in a granulated, instant form that is quite good. I imagine that any light fish stock could be substituted.

**mirin is a sweetened rice wine, again available in Asian markets or some grocery stores. Sake, sweetened with sugar to the sweetness of a liqueur can be substituted, or I have used sherry or sweetened white wine in a pinch.

The Japanese eat these spinach "salads" with the meal as a side dish or in small amounts as an appetizer.

Try substituting spinach leaves for lettuce leaves in sandwiches. For events at our library, I make sandwiches on mini-croissants with horseradish spread, rare roast beef, thinly sliced Roma tomatoes, and spinach leaves.

Sorry, people, I omitted one vital ingredient to the spinach salad my son likes - finely diced, cooked bacon.

So it's: spinach, onion, bacon, celery, tomato, French dressing.

Blame the omission on Old Timer's Disease!

I've always liked spinach, fresh or frozen. Don't care for hardly any vegetable canned.
Spinach Mushroom Quiche, made with fresh baby spinach, and Italian Wedding Soup are two of my favorites.
Rusty

Raw with dressing of evoo, basalmic vinegar, and italian seasoning. Has to be a flavorful evoo as the oil seems to be a critical flavor towards making it delicious.

Seldom cook my spinach. If I going to do canned greens I go for mustard greens with a shot of white vinegar. When I had the rabbit herd sour mustard greens and buttered black-eyed peas were my favorite sides with fried rabbit. Might have to get the .22 out tomorrow and find me a wild rabbit for christmas dinner.

: )
lyra

I was searching for info on how to cook artichokes, when I came upon this thread. Since my spinach seeds are up and running, thought I'd share one of my favorite recipes. (This recipe was from a Pace Picante cookbook that I lost in the divorce, so I don't have the measurements, I just sort of guess, but with these ingredients, you can't go wrong.)

Spinach Pesto

In the bowl of your food processor, add fresh spinach, salsa, garlic, grated romano or parmeasan, a little olive oil and just for the last few pulses, some walnuts.

Serve over hot pasta. It's fast and easy and great with garlic bread!

Hey, I missed this thread entirely the first time and nearly missed it the second time.

I love spinach, raw or cooked, canned or frozen. I like it in omelettes, in soup, in spinach dip either hot or cold. I like spinach salad. My girls both love spinach too, and even when they were small would sit on the couch watching television and eating spinach cold, right out of the can.

My Dad always liked it boiled to mush and doused with vinegar, and I could even eat it that way, but it wasn't my favorite.

I love Sheshebop's spinach brownies, which look a lot like Ann T's spinach squares, and Elery would love that crab and spinach terrine.

I don't usually grow spinach here because it "bolts" or goes to seed so quickly, I grow collard greens and swiss chard instead, and we eat beet greens too. My absolutely favorite spinach recipe, though, is creamed spinach, probably because Grandma seldom made it. Hers didn't have parmesan in it either, but I really like this version from Tyler Florence which does include parmesan cheese:

Creamed Spinach

3 pounds spinach
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash the spinach in several changes of water to get rid of any grit. Drain the spinach but keep some of the water clinging to the leaves. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the spinach and garlic. Cook, turning frequently, until the spinach has wilted down evenly. Remove the garlic and put the spinach into a colander and let it drain well. Press out as much liquid as you can from the leaves and chop them coarsely.

Heat the skillet again over medium-high heat and add the cream and nutmeg; cook until it reduces a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the spinach is hot, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

I will also point out that I've taken several spinach recipes and successfully substituted swiss chard or beet greens, although I have to cook those a bit longer.

Annie

I don't remember eating much spinach as a child, but I love it now. I use it mostly in spanikopita or for salads, but I love fresh spinach just sauteed with some olive oil and garlic. I make a spinach dip everyone likes - the typical one found on the dry vegetable soup packets only I use sour cream and cream cheese instead of the mayo because I don't like mayo based dips. I also make a quick supper with sauteed spinach in oil and garlic as above, but then throw in some diced sun dried tomatoes and oil cured olives, mix it into some pasta and add some crumbled feta.

Lisa

I buy curried spinach with cottage cheese... Palack Paneer I think it is spelled. Someday I have to try and figure out how to make it. Gooey green goodness!

: )
lyra

I never had spinach as a child - it was just something Mom never cooked. But as an adult, spinach in a salad was an epiphany for me. Heaven on a plate.

And, of course, who could forget Olive Garden's Spinach Artichoke dip? I make it at home all the time and we pig out on it. And I know most of you hate Paula Deen, but my sister made this dip for Christmas a couple of years ago and we all loved it. It's heart-attack-in-a-bowl, for sure, and I'd never make it to eat at home, but for a party it was great.

SPINACH ONION & BACON DIP

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 (5 oz.) pkg. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Corn chips, Wheat Thins, or Triscuits

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine all ingredients except chips/crackers in a medium bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Bake 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with chips and/or crackers.
Serves 12-15.

Dip may be made ahead up to 2 days ahead of time, covered, and refrigerated. Let stand 20 minutes before baking as directed.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.

OLIVE GARDEN HOT ARTICHOKE AND SPINACH DIP COPYCAT

1 (8 oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) Artichoke Hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup Spinach frozen chopped, thawed & squeezed completely dry
1/4 cup Mayonnaise (do not use Miracle Whip)
1/2 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated (I use Publix Italian Blend)
1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. Cream together mayonnaise, Parmesan or Romano cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic, basil, and garlic salt. Mix well. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (careful to drain this well), and mix until blended. Store in a container until you are ready to use. Spray pie pan with Pam (I use a 1-1/2 qt. Corning ware dish), pour in dip, and top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350° F. for 30-35 minutes or until the top is browned. Serve with toasted bread slices or celery sticks.

And one more perennial favorite for holidays here:

SPINACH SOUFFLÉ

2 Tblsp. butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 Tblsp. flour
1 cup whole milk (or may use half-and-half)
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
3 eggs, separated
1 (10 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/2 cup cheese, grated (Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago)

Sauté shallot in butter. Add flour, stir until smooth. Add milk, salt and pepper, heat until slightly thickened. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Add to white sauce with spinach and cheese. Beat egg whites until stiff, not dry, fold into sauce. Turn into greased 1-1/2 qt. soufflé dish or casserole. Set in pan of hot water and bake at 350° F. for 50 minutes.

Wow - to all of you that posted images - they look great! Nothing sells a recipe quite like a good photo. I'm a spinach fan myself. There's a great article on the the health benefits of spinach (it is on the homepage of the website below). I liked that the article also mentions the healthiest cooking methods to get the most nutrients out of the greens. Happy spinach cooking!

Here is a link that might be useful: Recipes Cookbook

I have posted this recipe before on another thread. It's quick, easy and I promise you if you try it you'll like it.

SPIINACH CON QUESO

2 C Queso cheese (white, quick melting cheese)

2 or 3 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1/3 C onion, chopped fine

1 tsp. cumin

Salt to taste

1/2 box thawed chopped frozen spinach drained

2 T roasted red pepper, chopped

Heat all inredients over low heat in top of double boiler, stirring constantly until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Makes about 2 cups.

We love spinach. I've copied and pasted all the recipes.
I was thinking yesterday about making a spinach souffle'.

Looking in the freezer a found some hidden spinach so I'll make one tonight.

I'll try your recipe pat t.

Linda

I just grabbed Sally's recipe..Gotta try that..I prefer mine raw or "barely cooked"...LOL

But that recipe looks good..

I had an egg scramble at a cafe that was italian sausage, spinach and cheese..it was Really really good...