Recipe: Sunday Spinach

I just finished a plate of creamed spinach that was divine. It's the first time I tried this recipe, and it's a keeper! Without further ado, here is the recipe.

SUNDAY SPINACH

Two 10-oz pkgs frozen chopped spinach

6 T finely minced onion

1/4 c. melted butter

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp black pepper

2 T cream cheese

6 T grated Parmesan cheese

6 T heavy cream

Tabasco sauce (optional)

Italian bread crumbs

Cook spinach according to package in unsalted water. Drain well. Saute onions in butter. Add drained spinach, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour in cream. Add cheeses and Tabasco sauce. Mix well. Before serving, place in baking dish and top with buttered Italian bread crumbs and bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Freezes well.

Note: when I make this again, I think I'll reduce the onions to 5 T. instead of 6, and increase the cream to 8 T. instead of 6. I like onions, but I thought they almost overpowered the spinach. Regardless, it turned out really superior.

Recipe: Sherrie's Chicken Salad

After you have baked chicken using my chicken seasoning (see previous post) let it cool, then cube and place in bowl, along with all the pan drippings (mostly the seasoning that came off the chicken).

Mix with Best Foods Real Mayonnaise. Serve on toast for a sandwich, or on a bed of lettuce as a salad.

Optional additions to the salad: chopped celery, mild chopped onion (easy on the onion), Thompson's seedless grapes.

If using as a salad, the Thompson's seedless grapes (the green ones) are awesome. They provide a wonderful complement to the chicken.

Recipe: Karen Johnson's Award Winning Tuna Casserole

This is a sinfully rich tuna noodle casserole. I first tasted it at an office potluck about 30 years ago and have made it many times since then. It is named after the employee who made it for the potluck. When I asked for the recipe, Karen told me that if I passed the recipe on, I had to substitute her name for mine, and each person passing it on adds their name to it. She said it was a "tradition." I don't know if she was pulling my leg or not. Regardless, since I got the recipe from her, I preferred to leave her name on it, as a way to remember her. If you wish to put my name on it, that's your decision.

There are two unusual ingredients--Velveeta cheese and dried parsley flakes--that "make" this casserole. Try it, you'll like it!

KAREN JOHNSON'S AWARD WINNING TUNA CASSEROLE

16-oz. (or slightly less) Velveeta, cubed

1 small tub margarine

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can milk

4-6 Tbs. dried parsely flakes

1 large can tuna fish

12-oz. package cooked noodles

--In large saucepan mix first 5 ingredients & heat till cheese melts (reserve some cheese and parsley for topping)

--Stir in noodles, then add tuna

--Turn into casserole and top with reserved cheese and parsley

--Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 mins or so

Recipe: Salmon-Cheese Bake

This is another recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. It came from the January 1972 issue, and is fast and easy. It's surprisingly elegant and is marvelous as brunch. I like to serve it with a tossed green salad or Waldorf salad. The Waldorf salad makes an especially nice contrast with the salmon.

SALMON-CHEESE BAKE

1 16-oz. can salmon, drained and flaked

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups packaged biscuit mix

1/2 cup water

2 slices mozzarella cheese

2 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1/4 cup milk

1/4 Tsp. dried dillweed

Combine salmon and onion; set aside. Combine biscuit mix and water; divide in half. Roll half the dough to an 8" square. Fit into bottom of greased 8x8x2" baking pan. Top with salmon mixture, then mozzarella cheese slices. Roll remaining dough to 8" square; place over cheese layer. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in 450 oven for 15-18 minutes. In small saucepan, combine soup, milk and dillweed. Heat mixture through. Serve some dill sauce over squares of casserole; pass remaining. Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Creamy Ham Casserole

This is another potluck favorite. I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens in the 1970s. I have more recipes collected from BH&G than any other source. While I loved the old BH&G, and deplored the day they went all glitzy and modern (and, in my opinion, much harder to read because of the layout and clutter), they are still one of the best sources for kitchen-tested recipes.

One day, I'm going to blog about my favorite pet peeve: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But that's for another day. For now, today is devoted to recipes.

CREAMY HAM CASSEROLE

1 med. head cauliflower (2 pounds)

2 cups cubed cooked ham (I use turkey ham)

1 3-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

4 Tbs. butter or margarine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup (4 oz.) cubed sharp process American cheese

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1 cup soft bread crumbs (1 1/2 slices)

1 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted

Break cauliflower into buds (about 4 cups). Cook, covered, in boiling salted water till tender, 10-12 mins. Drain. Combine ham and mushrooms. In medium saucepan melt the 4 Tbs. butter and stir in flour. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till mixture thickens and bubbles. Add cheese and sour cream to sauce. Stir till cheese melts.

Combine with cauliflower and ham mixture. Turn into 2 quart casserole. Combine crumbs and the remaining butter. sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or till hot. Makes 6 servings.

If you don't love this casserole, then you aren't normal. :-)