Stitches Thru Time: Spinach and Cheese Appetizer Bars

I love good food! Don’t you?

When my kids were younger, I cooked out of necessity, but now that most of them have grown . . . cooking has morphed from a necessity into something I enjoy.

I’d like to do a series of blog posts that focus on my favorite hobby; healthy, vegetarian cooking.

In today’s post we’ll make spinach and cheese appetizer bars. Next month, strawberry, walnut salad with homemade strawberry/poppy seed vinaigrette, and then in July, the best veggie burger and iced peach tea you’ve ever tried. Come the month of August, I’ll take advantage of the upcoming apple harvest and work-over an old apple crisp recipe. The new version will be full of fiber and have less sugar than the one Mom used to make, but with all the flavor you remember. The combination of apples and cinnamon will make your house smell so yummy.

Spinach and cheese bars began out of a search for something to take to a birthday dinner. I don’t know about you, but I can never leave a recipe alone. I have to add, take away, or change ingredients, which is how I arrived at Spinach and Cheese Appetizer Bars. (These make a great grab and go breakfast too)

Spinach and Cheese Appetizer Bars

Recipe makes approximately 24 servings

1 (10 ounce) package of fresh, baby spinach; rinsed, dried and coarsely chopped

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

3 Tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup feta cheese

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2. Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic to melted butter. Cook until onions are clear (about 10 min). Add dry, chopped spinach and cook until spinach is limp (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside. (do not drain)

3. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, pepper and baking powder. Stir in lightly beaten eggs, and milk. After combined, mix in spinach, onions, and garlic mixture then add mozzarella and feta cheeses.

4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top. Bake in the preheated oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Be sure not to undercook. Cut into bars, good warm or cooled.