Make Ahead Spinach Salad Food

MAKE-AHEAD SPINACH SALAD IN A JAR

Steps:

• Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Whisk orange juice, vinegar, orange zest, salt, curry powder, and pepper together in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking continuously until well blended.
• Line up 5 pint jars in an assembly line fashion.
• Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of dressing into the bottom of each jar. Place 1/2 cup cooked quinoa into each jar, and top with 2 tablespoons cherries. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons goat cheese on top of the cherries. Top with 1 cup of spinach per jar and pack down tightly to remove air pockets; jars should be filled to the top. Finish each jar with 1 tablespoon walnuts. Cover jars and refrigerate until ready to eat.

MAKE-AHEAD SPINACH AND BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD

Steps:

• In large bowl, toss spinach with lettuce. Top with onion and mushrooms. (Salad may be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours).
• Mix together dressing ingredients.
• Pour dressing over greens. Add cheese and nuts if using. Toss to coat.

SPINACH MAKE AHEAD SALAD

Steps:

• Arrange torn up clean spinach leaves in bottom of medium size glass bowl. Put shredded cheese or cubed cheese on top. Spread mushrooms over cheese. Cover with sliced eggs.
• In small bowl cream together well, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, lemon juice and sugar. Stir in onions. Spread over top of salad right to the sides of bowl. Cover. Chill overnight. To serve, remove cover, sprinkle bacon over top.
• ROMAINE MAKE AHEAD: omit spinach and use Romaine lettuce in above salad. Every bit as good.
• VARIATION: Omit mayonnaise and sour cream. Add 8 oz. cream cheese mixed with 1/2 cup sour cream.
• Company's Coming Salads.

WARM SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add bacon to skillet and brown, reserve the crispy bacon bits and add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes then deglaze the pan with vinegar, turn spinach into pan and wilt down a bit but do not fully cook the spinach, just give it a few turns with tongs. Season the greens with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place spinach on a serving dish and top with quartered eggs, shavings of cheese and reserved bacon bits.

MAKE-AHEAD CREAMY SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour with whisk; cook and stir 2 minutes. Slowly beat in broth, whipping cream, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the nutmeg with whisk. Increase heat to medium-high; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat.
• In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned and any liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually add spinach, stirring constantly, and cook until wilted. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 1/4 cups of the cream sauce. Reserve remaining sauce.
• In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, egg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
• To assemble: Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 3/4 cup of the sauce into bottom of baking dish. Top with 3 of the lasagna noodles in single layer. Evenly top with 1 cup of the cheese filling and 1 1/3 cups of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers twice, starting with noodles and ending with spinach mixture. For final layer, top with 3 noodles; pour remaining 3/4 cup sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through (165°F in center), bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
• To freeze: Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with foil, making sure foil is as smooth as possible, as wrinkled foil may get stuck in sauce during freezing process. Leave enough overhang to be able to lift assembled lasagna out of dish. Spray foil with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate sauce and spinach mixture 30 to 40 minutes before making cheese filling and assembling lasagna. Stir 2 1/4 cups cream sauce into spinach mixture. Assemble lasagna in dish as directed; cover tightly with another layer of foil. Freeze unbaked lasagna about 8 hours or until completely frozen. Transfer frozen lasagna to labeled 2-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. Remove air; seal and freeze up to three months. To bake: Remove foil, and transfer to 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and thaw in refrigerator until completely thawed, at least 48 hours. Heat oven to 400°F. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes; remove foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through (165°F in center), bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.