# Spinach & Cheese Casserole



## Constance (Nov 13, 2005)

I found a recipe in the week-end paper for a Spinach & Cheese Casserole that looks good. It has cottage cheese and grated cheddar in it, plus garlic, onion, and eggs. I just wonder about how the cottage cheese will taste in it...have any of you all ever tried anything like this?


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## licia (Nov 13, 2005)

So far, it sounds good. Can you post the recipe, please.


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## urmaniac13 (Nov 13, 2005)

I would definetely use ricotta instead of cottage cheese... ricotta is still moderate in calorie content (compared to other cheeses) if this is the issue, and so much richer both in flavour and texture.  Also Spinach and ricotta do make a brilliant pair without fail!!


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## mudbug (Nov 13, 2005)

isn't any dish called Florentine when spinach and ricotta are added?  or is it just when spinach is involved?


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## urmaniac13 (Nov 13, 2005)

mudbug said:
			
		

> isn't any dish called Florentine when spinach and ricotta are added? or is it just when spinach is involved?


 
Italian folks seem to be puzzled at this Florentine = spinach connection  abroad.  Obviously there is nothing particularly Florence about it if spinach is involved in a dish... I am not sure who invented this but it doesn't seem like anyone from Italy!!


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## Constance (Nov 13, 2005)

Maniac, I thought that too, then thought perhaps the texture of the cottage cheese might be a desirable thing...or not? I've gone most of my life thinking I hated cottage cheese, until my little Jesse taught me to eat it with salt & pepper the other day. Grandbabies are so fine.

Licia, here's the recipe:

Spinach & Cheese Casserole

2-10oz pkgs frozen spinach, thawed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 tbls melted butter
6 eggs, beaten
16 oz cottage cheese
2 tbls all-purpose flour
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish. Drain spinach well. Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbls of the melted butter. Mix spinach with eggs, cottage and cheddar cheeses, flour and remaining butter. Add sautéed onions and garlic. Season with salt & pepper. Pour into prepared dish and bake for 1 hour. Serves 8-10.


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## Piccolina (Nov 13, 2005)

In days of yore lol I used to use cottage cheese in my lasagnas and cannelloni recipes. It was a lot more ecconomical (in Canada) than riccotta and I actully like it this way too. Just drain off as much excess cottage cheese liquid as possible before you add it to the other ingredients.


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## urmaniac13 (Nov 13, 2005)

Constance said:
			
		

> Maniac, I thought that too, then thought perhaps the texture of the cottage cheese might be a desirable thing...or not? I've gone most of my life thinking I hated cottage cheese, until my little Jesse taught me to eat it with salt & pepper the other day. Grandbabies are so fine.
> 
> Licia, here's the recipe:
> 
> ...


 
Yeah I must confess I am not a big fan of cottage cheese either, but if there was a way that convinced you maybe I could be too... let me know how the recipe turns out when you try it!!


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## silentmeow (Nov 14, 2005)

I have made this many times and it is great!  I also use cottage cheese instead of ricotta.  I have found that the ricotta is almost too rich.  I have never compared the fat content of the two but figured the cottage cheese was lower in fat and lower in price.  If I have time I like to line the pan with phylo sheets and make kind of a pot pie.  I love spinach!


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## Constance (Nov 14, 2005)

urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> Yeah I must confess I am not a big fan of cottage cheese either, but if there was a way that convinced you maybe I could be too... let me know how the recipe turns out when you try it!!



Here's the thing, Maniac...I'm always getting my 7 yr old Jesse to try new things. He's very good about it, and likes almost everything. So when he said, "Grandma, you need to try this...it's good and good for you," what could I say? I hadn't really tried cottage cheese in years, and never simply seasoned with salt and pepper. I found that my taste buds have evidentally changed, because it tasted very good.


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## licia (Nov 14, 2005)

I'm not even wild about spinach, but this looks really good.


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## urmaniac13 (Nov 14, 2005)

Constance said:
			
		

> Here's the thing, Maniac...I'm always getting my 7 yr old Jesse to try new things. He's very good about it, and likes almost everything. So when he said, "Grandma, you need to try this...it's good and good for you," what could I say? I hadn't really tried cottage cheese in years, and never simply seasoned with salt and pepper. I found that my taste buds have evidentally changed, because it tasted very good.


 
What a kid, your grandson is!!  I wish he could come over and hang out with Guido, Cris's hopelessly finicky 6 year old who refuses to eat just about anything apart from nutella and very few plain things that he is accustomed to.  He needs to be "educated" by a peer with some "progressive" tastebuds!!
(and ovbiously we are also in need of some education from him as well!!)


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