Last night, Carlo and I enjoyed a healthy low-carb dinner of homemade buffalo wings. As a side, I wanted to be brave and make creamed spinach for the first time. After looking over a variety of recipes, I came up with my own with a nice sweet kick of pickled relish.
The creamed spinach I’ve had in the past has been good, but I’ve mostly tasted cream. The spinach was just what the dish its texture. The flavor of the spinach was lost.
In my recipe, the softened cream cheese added texture to the spinach, not the other way around. By adding the relish, it helped the spinach to really shine through. The garlic and Parmesean cheese just enhanced the taste even more. And by baking it? Well, it allowed all of the ingredients to meld nicely.
I sound like a braggart, and I hate that. BUT DAMN! It was good! This may become a regular side dish for us,
– Carmella
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 10oz. package of frozen spinach, completely thawed and drained
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. sugar-free pickle relish
- 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt butter in pan, then add spinach and garlic powder.
- Mix in the relish, then the cream cheese until well blended.
- Add Parmesean cheese, salt and pepper, and stir.
- Spoon mixture into 4 ramekin dishes, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
The Food Duo 
Well I started drooling at the point you mentioned buffalo wings – one of my weaknesses! Kudos for coming up with a creamed spinach. I’ll have to try it with relish because like you, I’m not quite a fan of cream spinach where its mostly cream.