For Bet

Pics: My friend Carol and I at the art fair yesterday, we shared a table. The pick-up trucks at the dealership across from us, all of them with snow ploughs on them! And another ornament I painted.

Spinach Pie:

*buy phyllo soon so it has time to thaw!

1 med potato - peeled and cut into small cubes
1 carrot - peeled and cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
10 ounces fresh spinach (large stems removed)
1 cup cottage cheese
2 or 3 pinches nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more, to taste
fresh gound pepper
4 phyllo sheets (thawed) - but I would double this to 8 sheets!
3 tablespoons melted butter (this will need to be doubled too)

In small pan cook potato and carrot cubes until tender, about 10mins, drain and run under cold water - set aside

In skillet, heat olive oil and add onion and saute until soften - about 5 mins. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add spinach in two or three batches at a time, letting each batch wilt before adding more.

Take spinach off heat and put into food processor. Add cottage cheese, nutmeg and 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. Adjust seasonings if you like. Puree the mixture well.

Peheat oven to 400F. Lay out phyllo sheet on cutting board and brush with butter, put another sheet on top and continue until all are used with butter spread on top of last one. Cut the phyllo in half crossways so that the pieces are 8 1/2 by 11 inches.

Gently mix together spinach mixture, potatos and carrots all together and pour into 8X10 casserole dish. Place plyllo layers over top. You might need to tuck in the edges of the dough to fit the pan.

Bake the pie for 20mins or until the phyllo is golden brown. Yummy!


Pumpkin Bread Pudding:

1 baguette cut into 2 inch slices
3 eggs
3 1/2 cups whole or low fat milk
1/2 nutmeg
2 tsp ginger (but I used 1 tsp and even that I thought was too much! - I don't think I'll even use any next time!)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree (I used fresh, but they say you can used canned too)
3/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Cover bottom of 10x13 inch pan with bread slices.

Whisk everything except brown sugar together and pour over bread slices. Push them down into mixure so they soak it up. Let stand to soak in for 10 mins.

Bake pudding for 45 to 50 mins, until knife comes out clean. Let pudding cool for 10 mins.

Sprinkle brown sugar over top and place under broiler. Broil until sugar starts to bubble. Watch really close! It doesn't take long at all! I was wathcing it and I even burned it a little! Be careful at this part! :)

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream! Totally yummy!

Love you! Katina