Creamed Spinach

I love spinach.  Spinach of all kinds — fresh spinach for salads and sandwhiches, sauteed spinach (maybe with some garlic and cherry tomatoes) spinach dips and my favorite, creamed spinach.

Maybe it’s my dual love of cream cheese as well, but creamed spinach is one of my favorite things.  It’s kind of a luxury item, though, due to the butter and cream cheese, but you can tone it down with reduced fat cream cheese and substituting some of the butter with olive oil.  Still, I’m not going to lie, it’s an indulgence.  But so creamy and good.  Try it next time you’re grilling out; goes great with a juicy steak!

Creamed Spinach

• 2 packages of frozen spinach
• 1/2 block of cream cheese
• 2 tbsp butter
• splash lemon juice
• salt (reglar and seasoned salt)
• grated parmesan (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt the cream cheese and butter together until softened and smooth.  Meanwhile, thaw the spinach in the microwave and drain it well.  Put the spinach in a baking dish and salt it.  Pour the cream cheese mixture over the spinach and stir together with a spatula, coating the spinach well.  Add a splash of lemon juice (maybe 2 teaspoons) and seasoned salt to the spinach and stir again.  Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese (optional).  Cover the dish and bake for about 25 minutes.

before baking