The Best Creamed Spinach You'll Ever Have

So, this meal started out as being another tribute to one of my all-time favorite foods: squash. I love squash... period. It is so delicious. The texture can be manipulated so easily, and it's natural sweetness elevates savory dishes so well. But, after this most recent meal, my love-affair for squash was temporarily halted for a new crave: Creamed Spinach. I am now in a relationship with creamed spinach. Well, maybe not all creamed spinach; just with my Mascarpone Creamed Spinach to be exact. It is, in a word, orgasmic (aka amazing). I would eat it in a house, with a mouse, here or there, anywhere (10 points if you can name that reference!). Basically, you could put it on a shoe and it would still taste fantastic. This will turn any vegetable-hater into a devout fan.

The rest of the meal was also a delicious showcase of autumn flavors: Delicata Squash with Wild Rice and Apple Stuffing as well as Roasted Cauliflower. While just slightly over-shadowed by the spinach, the Roasted Cauliflower is a bit like candy: super addictive. I was popping the florets one after another right out of the oven. The squash was sweet and savory, a perfect compliment to two awesome sides. Another must-try meal.


Delicata Squash with Wild Rice and Apple Stuffing: Yields 4 Servings (with a little extra filling)
3/4 cup wild rice
2 large Delicata squash (about 2 lbs), sliced in half
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large sweet apple (such as Fuji), diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in rice. Return to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer; cook until al dente, about 45 minutes. Drain
2. Heat oven to 450. Place squash cut-side down on a sheet pan and roast until tender and caramelized on bottom, about 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion, carrot and celery. Sweat until translucent and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in apple and cook until just tender. Add cranberries; season to taste with salt and pepper. When rice is finished cooking, add rice to pan and readjust seasonings.
4. When ready to serve, spoon rice into squash shells. Reheat for 5 minutes in a warm oven, if necessary.


Mascarpone Creamed Spinach: Yields 4 Servings
16 oz fresh spinach
2 T butter
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 oz Mascarpone cheese
1/4 t nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large high-sided saute pan (sautier), cook spinach in a small amount of water until just wilted. Remove from pan and squeeze out excess moisture.
2. In same saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add shallot; sweat until translucent. Add garlic to pan and cook until starting to brown. Stir in spinach, Mascarpone, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Allow to cook until Marcarpone is melted and incorporated thoroughly.


Roasted Cauliflower: Yields 4 Servings
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 T olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 450. Toss cauliflower, olive oil, salt and pepper together in a large bowl; transfer to a sheet pan. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden and tender; about 15 minutes.



Another easy weeknight meal (well, in my kitchen). Hope you enjoy it!! The last meal of the week is Squash, Kale and White Bean Soup with Parmesan Twists. I'll try to get those recipes to you as soon as possible! Until then, Happy Cooking and all that jazz.