Yesterday, I was feeling inspired and had one of my recipe invention urges. Leftover Turkey was the inspiration, but I didn’t want to pull out the tired old Turkey Soup, Turkey Pot Pie, Turkey Tetrazini standbys. I wanted something different. A quick scan of the fridge gave me my second dose of inspiration, Feta Cheese.
Okay, that was enough to get my culinary wheels turning. Feta and spinach, of course. Oooh, then I spotted the jar of artichokes in the pantry, perfect. A little bit of this and a little bit of store bought pie dough, and we were in business. I served this to some unsuspecting guenie pigs (my friends, Jill and John) who ooohed and ahhhed and asked for seconds. So, I think it is ready for prime time.
INGREDIENTS
5 Tbs. Butter (Divided)
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Milk
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 8oz. package of sliced Cremini Mushrooms
1 8oz. jar of Chopped Artichoke Hearts
2 packages of frozen spinach
2 cups shredded Turkey or Cubed Ham
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 Cup Grated Mozzarella
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Pilsbury Pie Crust
Tsp. Salt and Pepper to Taste
DIRECTIONS:
Saute chopped onion in 1 Tablespoon butter and 2 Tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes, add mushrooms and garlic and saute until mushrooms are tender. Meanwhile, defrost spinach in Microwave according to directions and strain all liquid from defrosted spinach using paper towels or dishtowel. Add Spinach and Artichoke hearts to saute pan and mix. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and remove from heat. Allow to cool while preparing Béchamel sauce.
Béchamel sauce: Melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup flour; whisk constantly until mixture begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Pour in milk; continue whisking until mixture thickens, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in cayenne, nutmeg, and tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Remove from heat; let cool completely, stirring occasionally. Pour over spinach mixture, and toss.
Spray pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Fill with spinach mixture and top with pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Deborah Smith is the Founder and Executive Editor of JerseyBites.com. Launched in 2007 as a home for her growing collection of recipes, Jersey Bites soon grew into a hub for all things edible in the Garden State. Deborah is also the owner of Parents With Nannies, Inc. which operates a network of nanny employment websites established in 1999. In her spare time, (Ha) she works as a Social Media consultant and speaker. You can learn more about her services and marketing through social media on her blog www.DeborahLSmith.com
