Midwestern Spinach Cheese Savoury Bread Pudding Food

SAVORY SPINACH AND CHEESE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 F.
• Cut the bread into 1-inch chunks and spread on a baking sheet.
• Put in the oven for about 10 minutes-you're just drying it out a bit, you don't want to toast it. Let the bread cool.
• If needed, rinse the spinach to remove any dirt or grit. Lift out of the water and drain in a colander or salad spinner.
• Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the garlic or shallot. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic or shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and gently fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Add the cleaned spinach and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, until the ​ spinach is wilted , has released its liquid, and that liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Lightly beat or whisk. Add the milk and whisk to combine thoroughly. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Set aside.
• Grate the cheese and set aside.
• Use the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to coat a large (9 x 13) baking dish. Add the bread cubes to the dish. Arrange the cooked spinach mixture in and on the bread cubes. Sprinkle the cheese all over the bread and spinach.
• Pour in the egg-milk mixture; it should cover everything. If any bread cubes poke out, push them down into the liquid. Let the entire thing sit for at least 30 minutes (make ahead tip: cover and chill up to overnight; let it sit out for about 30 minutes before baking to take off the chill). Letting it all sit allows the bread time to soak up the egg-milk mixture, which will lead to a much better final texture than if you bake it right away.
• Bake until just a tiny bit jiggly in the center, but basically set everywhere else and browned along the edge, about 35 minutes. If it's still jiggly and getting too browned on top, cover with foil to cook a bit more.
• Let sit at least 10 minutes and up to 30 before cutting into pieces to serve.
• Serve hot or warm.

SPINACH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat while macaroni is cooking. Add flour and whisk until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in a little milk and continue whisking. Pour in remaining milk and add frozen spinach. Cook, whisking constantly, until spinach softens and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in 2 cups Cheddar cheese; whisk until melted. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Drain macaroni and spread evenly in the prepared baking dish. Cover with cheese sauce. Mix well. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Turn on the oven's broiler and broil until a golden crust forms on top, about 3 minutes.

SAVORY ARTICHOKE AND SPINACH BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sauté the onions over med. heat in the oil until soft.
• Add the minced garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the 2 teaspoons of the Italian Seas.
• Add the spinach and cook for about 10 minutes. You might have to add a little more oil. Remove from heat. Stir in the artichokes.
• Combine the cream, eggs, lemon juice, 1 T Italian seasoning, nutmeg, paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
• Get out a very large bowl. :-) Add the cubed bread, cheeses, parsley, and spinach mixture. Mix well. Pour over the egg mixture and stir well. Let it sit until the moisture is absorbed, approx 20 minutes or less.
• Pour into an 11x17-inch sprayed casserole dish.
• Bake 1 hour or until firm in the center.
• This reheats well in the microwave.
• It would be easy to cut this recipe in half!

KERRI'S SAVOURY BREAD CASES AND FILLINGS

Steps:

• Using electric knife remove crusts.
• Press slices into patty tins, brush with butter.
• Bake in moderate oven 180degC (350degF)(lower if fan forced) 12 - 15mins or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool in tins.
• Basic white sauce; melt butter and whisk in flour, cook for 1 minute; add milk slowly, off stove, while whisking; put back on stove and heat to boiling, whisking all the time; add mustard, pepper, salt, paprika, parsley and shallots - and whatever other ingredients you wish.
• Spoon prepared filling into cases, place on oven trays.
• Bake 180degC (350degF) unless fan forced, 12 mins or until filling is heated through.
• Salmon filling; Add salmon, and cheese if you are using, to basic filling.
• Asparagus filling; Stir until cheese melts so work quickly before basic sauce gets cool; add to basic sauce.

SPINACH BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg until blended.
• Stir in spinach, cheese and bread with rubber spatula.
• Pour into 13X9 baking dish.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, or until browned and puffed and knife inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from oven let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN BAKED SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Place spinach in colander in sink. Pour boiling water over spinach; cool.
• Meanwhile, mix cream cheese and eggs in large bowl until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Stir in 1/2 cup feta.
• Squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Add spinach to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Spoon onto 9-inch square baking dish; top with remaining feta. Cover.
• Bake 50 min. or until center is set, uncovering after 30 min.