Traditions ... Spinach Bars Get Their Due

Most foodies have onions, eggs, milk, flour, and frozen spinach ... yes? Add a few spices, mushrooms, leavening, some cheese and ... VOILA!

Line the pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up and easy removal of the bars from the pan...

This is a page from the cook book I made for each of my kids when they left home to establish their own apartments. The recipe can be considered either a family tradition or a way for me to cop an easy knosh on any and every holiday party, Sunday fellowship snack session, family feast, baby shower, book group luncheon ... you get the idea. The ingredients are basic and reflect what's usually hanging around in my refrigerator. The recipe goes together pretty quickly (as long as you think to take the frozen spinach from the freezer in a timely manner ... or ... just zap it fast in the microwave).

These bars are cheesy, spicy, full of good veg, and edged with a crispy crunch. Our family has loved them from the first time I made them and I can't believe I haven't blogged them here on The Spice Garden before this! What was I thinking ???

This past week, Marsha (my niece) messaged me on FB, asking for the recipe. Christine (my cousin), Alison (my sister-in-law), and Gretchen (one of my other cousins) all seemed interested in getting the recipe too. Notice Marsha is mentioned in the original printing of the recipe ... so here you go, dearie! Gwen's already got it! 

Before I close out here, let me say that it was so gratifying to get a recipe request and be able to post it on a blog that I've puttered with for several years now. That WAS the original reason for starting The Spice Garden! Not only was it to be a food diary for my kids, but I always hoped it would be a place where folks could come to get a decent take on a snack, supper, or dessert dish. Thanks, Marsha ! You brought me back around to the original mission of this blog. Virtual hug!

So ... for the recipe, tap the recipe image and I think it will expand for your better viewing! A couple points ... over the years, I have decreased the amount of cheese to 8 oz., increased the amount of chopped mushrooms to about a cup, and decreased the amount of melted butter to 2 tbsp. which I brush over the bottom of the pan. The other big thing I do is to line the pan with parchment paper. It makes cooling and cutting the bars up much easier, as you can draw the bars out of the pan to a cool on the counter top and lay the parchment paper side out and away from the spinach bars. The bars won't stick to the paper so they're pretty perfect when you lift them off and put them on a platter. With experience, comes shortcuts and recipe development, I guess. 

Anyway, enjoy the cheesy goodness of Spinach Bars! Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers and friends and Happy Holidays to my international pals! Virtual hugs all around!