A Little Spinach, Anyone?

I love spinach. I love creamed spinach. It's a guilty pleasure of mine and I only make a couple times a year because, well, it's not the healthiest of dishes. But when I do make it, it's a big hit and there's usually not many leftovers. It's creamy and satisfying with a slight hint of crunch. Creamed spinach is a side dish that goes with pretty much any meat so give it a try with your next dinner.

Creamed Spinach

• 1 1/2 lbs chopped spinach
• 3 TB butter
• 2 1/2 TB flour
• 2 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 pepper
• dash nutmeg

• 1/4 TB  butter
• 1/4 c coarse breadcrumbs (such as Panko)

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Thaw and drain spinach. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in saucepan.

4. Add flour and stir over medium-low heat until it turns a light gold color and smells a tad nutty.

5. Slowly add milk, a little at a time. Boil once it's all incorporated.

6. Add spinach and seasonings and mix well.

7. Coat a 1 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and pour in spinach mixture.

8. Melt 1/4 TB butter and breadcrumbs together in microwave until butter is melted. Mix well and sprinkle over spinach.

9. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until bubbly and breadcrumbs are golden brown.

I use 2% milk when I make this recipe. If you'd like a richer dish, you can use half and half to get a creamier result.