SPINACH AND MUSHROOM BAKE

This is the one with chicken and no mushrooms

I have made this 3 time with a recipe from Stacy's Snacks  which originated from Martha Stewart.  I made it twice with chicken and spinach and once with Swiss Chard and chicken because my neighbor brought some fresh over.  It was good.  I eliminated 1/4 C. of cream and didn't miss it.  I added the thyme and loved it with the mushrooms.   Then I decided to make this as a vegetable side dish with more spinach and mushrooms instead of the chicken.  My husband, who is my most important picky critic said, "I don't usually like stuff like this, but this is good."  (Don't tell him that it has onions.  I always have to grate onions small so he can't see them.)   My dinner guest asked for the recipe.  4 of us polished off one recipe.  I will make this again.  It serves 4-6

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM BAKE

Mix 2 C. bread torn into bite size pieces.  (I love Costco’s big ciabatta rolls and used one of them. Toss with a 1 T. oil and a little garlic powder.  These are so lovely and crunchy on the finished product.

Sauce

Add 2 T. oil or butter to a saucepan and stir fry the following until starting to brown:  2 cloves of coarse grated garlic, ¼ of a grated sweet onion and 8 oz. sliced mushrooms.  Add 1/3 C. white wine, 1 scant tsp. thyme leaves and simmer low for a minute or so.  Add ½ C. whipping cream and ½ tsp. salt.  Mix 1 C. milk with 3 T. flour until smooth.  Add to the mixture and bring to a boil, stirring for 1 minute.   Pack a 4 cup measuring cup to overflowing with fresh chopped or baby spinach (or chopped Swiss Chard.)  Put the spinach and ½ C. Parmesan Cheese into a bowl and pour the sauce over and toss with your hands until well mixed.  Pour into a 9 inch square size casserole dish and top with the bread cubes.  Bake 350 for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle on a little more Parmesan Cheese the last 5 minutes if desired. 

I have made this with 1 ½-2 C. rotisserie chicken if you choose to have it as a meat main dish.  Mushrooms or no, thyme or no, they were all delicious. 

Here is the measuring cup packed with spinach