Food and Recipes while under Coronavirus quarantine #3

[anneg]

My mom used to make a recipe back in the 70s she called “spinach bars.” She served it like a side dish but it is also a great appetizer. I think she found the recipe in Parade magazine that was in with our Sunday newspaper.

I had been searching for her recipe card and hadn’t been able to find it, so I tried several similar recipes I found online. Finally I found one that tastes just like the “spinach bars” she used to make.

Baked Spinach Casserole



SERVES: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 16 ounces cottage cheese (approx. 2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 lb cheddar cheese, grated (approx. 4 cups)
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
2. Drain spinach well. Saute onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp of the melted butter.
3. Mix spinach with eggs, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese, additonal 6 Tbsp butter, and flour. Add sauteed onions and garlic and mix together. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour into prepared dish and bake for 1 hour. Cool slightly and cut into squares.

I used to make that recipe, or a very close relative of it! Easy and delicious. I would reduce the amounts. It's how I got my son to eat spinach.

I think that will be on our menu soon!

 

[IceIce9]

I used to make that recipe, or a very close relative of it! Easy and delicious. I would reduce the amounts. It's how I got my son to eat spinach.

I think that will be on our menu soon!

I remember that the Parade Magazine inserts in the Sunday paper had quite a few really good recipes.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Last night we made a Detroit-style deep dish pizza with ingredients from Nino's. Everything is premeasured: pizza dough for two 12" rounds or one rectangle, pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella/provolone cheese mix, pepperoni. It was very good, and we will make our own pizza again.

Tonight, I am making my version of midwestern "hotdish" based on this recipe: Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe | Amy Thielen | Food Network I add mushrooms because I like the earthy flavor with the wild rice. I don't use the heavy cream or milk, but I do add shredded white cheddar. To prevent dryness, I use additional chicken stock that gets absorbed as the casserole bakes. For the topping, I mix more cheddar with panko instead of the buttery crackers. Even without the cream and milk, the casserole is a rich and hearty dish - perfect for a cold winter day.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Sweetcorn chowder in the slow cooker here today. Think I'd rather have Bette's pizza tho!

 

[JDG]

For some great recipes:

new dot milk dot org

you can also sign up for their emails if you wish.

Great site for foodies.

 

[mickey2942]

Last night we made a Detroit-style deep dish pizza with ingredients from Nino's. Everything is premeasured: pizza dough for two 12" rounds or one rectangle, pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella/provolone cheese mix, pepperoni. It was very good, and we will make our own pizza again.

Tonight, I am making my version of midwestern "hotdish" based on this recipe: Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe | Amy Thielen | Food Network I add mushrooms because I like the earthy flavor with the wild rice. I don't use the heavy cream or milk, but I do add shredded white cheddar. To prevent dryness, I use additional chicken stock that gets absorbed as the casserole bakes. For the topping, I mix more cheddar with panko instead of the buttery crackers. Even without the cream and milk, the casserole is a rich and hearty dish - perfect for a cold winter day.

Yum! I don't make pizza, we get frozen "Motor City" pizza from Costco, Detroit style pizza. Probably not as good as yours.

Didn't you tell us about a "pizza steel"?

 

[EGirl]

It's a bit chilly down here for us in south Texas. So, chili is what I'm having. DH wanted Salmon, so he'll have that.

We eat a lot of salad for a 'side'. I generally keep a ziploc full of cleaned chopped lettuces and then additions (chopped cucumbers, radishes, shredded carrots, etc) in smaller individual bags so we can each choose our salad fixin's. So, we'll have salad too.

Funny, DH is from MI and you would think he's going to die because it's 34 degrees outside. I just shake my head while he puts on 3 layers and I pop on a sweatshirt with some jeans.

 

[EGirl]

For some great recipes:

new dot milk dot org

you can also sign up for their emails if you wish.

Great site for foodies.

Thanks! That whipped lemonade looks delicious.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Yum! I don't make pizza, we get frozen "Motor City" pizza from Costco, Detroit style pizza. Probably not as good as yours.

Didn't you tell us about a "pizza steel"?

DH sold steel for 40 years before retiring in December 2021. One of his longtime customers bought steel that is used to make Detroit-style pizza pans.

We've never had pizza from Costco. I'm guessing that it's probably a crowd-size portion and too much for the two of us.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

We enjoyed our dinner at Picano's last night and are happy that this outstanding Italian eatery is doing well despite the pandemic. Picanos celebrated its 37th anniversary with some very nice menu offerings. DH had Osso Buco, and I opted for marinated lamb chops. We had a lovely bottle of Santa Margherita Chianti Classico and would order the wine again. We're familiar with Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio but hadn't had the Chianti. Mr. Picano (Dom) was just arriving as we were leaving the restaurant. As always, he stopped to chat with us and put his arms around both of us. He might not know our names, but he knows that we have been longtime patrons of his restaurant.

Tonight we're having California BLTs on Nino's focaccia rolls. Tomorrow I will begin a soft-food regimen so my colonoscopy prep goes "smoothly" on Thursday - that just happens to be my birthday Colonoscopy and upper endoscopy on Friday morning. I've already had labs and other tests that don't indicate any major problems, but I want to get to the bottom of my recurring reflux and other digestive issues. I'm well-prepared with Mrs. Grass' Chicken Noodle Soup mix, Manischewicz Matzoh Ball Soup mix, ginger ale, apple juice, Jello, chicken broth, and tea.

 

[mickey2942]

For some great recipes:

new dot milk dot org

you can also sign up for their emails if you wish.

Great site for foodies.

We are having a salad and "smothered brie" from this site for dinner. Rather heavy fare for me, but my husband loves baked brie with bread.

 

[PayrollNerd]

My weird dinner menu tonight: cheese potatoes and warm chocolate pudding. This is what happens when your wrist and thumb hurt too much to chop. The brace helps.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

Today Mr Pirate gets the award for best hubby. He braved the cold to go to one of our favorite markets, Westborn Market. They are a speciality market full of lovely food, baked goods and groceries. We don't do our basic shopping there but we do love it for their seafood and baked goods. Special stuff. I have been a cheating vegan lately ( shhhhh)! We do like to have fresh salmon and ahi tuna every now and again. Today Mr. P brought home two lovely sushi grade tuna steaks, mixed greens, and sushi rice. On the the menu will be seared ahi tuna, mixed greens with a wasabi dressing, thin sliced radish, grated carrot and english cucumber. I will make a pot of sushi rice for the side. We will have edamame for our appetizer with a nice bottle of wine. He also brought home some double chocolate cupcakes for dessert. Those are vegan as I cannot eat dairy due to digestive woes.

Sunday is our usual day to go to Mavericks. It is a local restaurant/bar with really good food. Not greasy bar food. They make an awesome ahi tuna salad for a great price. They have big TV's. We enjoy sitting at the bar and having Sunday dinner with them just about every week. They will have to miss us today. I am settled in and have no intention of going out in the snow. Today we will cook at home.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Today Mr Pirate gets the award for best hubby. He braved the cold to go to one of our favorite markets, Westborn Market. They are a speciality market full of lovely food, baked goods and groceries. We don't do our basic shopping there but we do love it for their seafood and baked goods. Special stuff. I have been a cheating vegan lately ( shhhhh)! We do like to have fresh salmon and ahi tuna every now and again. Today Mr. P brought home two lovely sushi grade tuna steaks, mixed greens, and sushi rice. On the the menu will be seared ahi tuna, mixed greens with a wasabi dressing, thin sliced radish, grated carrot and english cucumber. I will make a pot of sushi rice for the side. We will have edamame for our appetizer with a nice bottle of wine. He also brought home some double chocolate cupcakes for dessert. Those are vegan as I cannot eat dairy due to digestive woes...

I haven't met many fish I didn't like and could easily give up meat and poultry if I could have fresh fish/seafood every day. We generally have two or three fish/seafood meals weekly. Your ahi tuna dinner sounds wonderful. Enjoy!

ETA: I'm starting my soft-foods-only diet today so my colonoscopy prep goes smoothly on Thursday. It really helps to stop solid foods for a few days in advance of the dreaded "prep day".

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I haven't met many fish I didn't like and could easily give up meat and poultry if I could have fresh fish/seafood every day. We generally have two or three fish/seafood meals weekly. Your ahi tuna dinner sounds wonderful. Enjoy!

ETA: I'm starting my soft-foods-only diet today so my colonoscopy prep goes smoothly on Thursday. It really helps to stop solid foods for a few days in advance of the dreaded "prep day".

Hope all goes well for you. Be thinking about you.

 

[RusselSprout]

A simple rump steak, potatoes and cabbage tonight, simple but yummy

 

[Yesiamapirate]

I haven't met many fish I didn't like and could easily give up meat and poultry if I could have fresh fish/seafood every day. We generally have two or three fish/seafood meals weekly. Your ahi tuna dinner sounds wonderful. Enjoy!

ETA: I'm starting my soft-foods-only diet today so my colonoscopy prep goes smoothly on Thursday. It really helps to stop solid foods for a few days in advance of the dreaded "prep day".

Best wishes for good health, BDE.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Best wishes for good health, BDE.

Thanks for the good wishes. I'm not overly concerned about the procedure and, based on lab tests, I don't think there's anything serious going on. My digestive system seems especially finicky in recent months, probably due age and the stress of the pandemic.

I cooked German egg noodles in chicken broth on Sunday and noshed on that throughout the day. Yesterday, I had scrambled eggs for breakfast, a package of Mrs. Grass' chicken noodle soup for lunch and afternoon snack, and a baked potato for dinner. I will make Manischewicz matzoh ball soup for today and tomorrow. I've also treated myself to some lemon sorbet in the evening. Clear liquids only on Thursday before I start my prep at 6:00PM and again at midnight. I have plenty of reading material and puzzle books: I've got this

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Hope all goes well for you. Be thinking about you.

You're so sweet. Thanks for your kind thoughts.

 

[PayrollNerd]

My uncle made paninis tonight. One was corn beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. The other was turkey, green apples, cheddar cheese and cranberry sauce. I had the turkey and it was delicious. My uncle taught my oldest brother to make French fries in the fryer machine thing. They were crispy and tasty.

My oldest brother and his wife are visiting and decided to buy the place across the street. My brother is still working but his wife is retired. Now I’ll have 2 family houses to couch surf at.