Dreamy Creamy Creamed Spinach

This post is for one of my very best friends, who happens to LOVE spinach artichoke dip.  I know there are thousands of recipes out there, but this is mine, and I can make it anytime I have fresh spinach (which is every time it's on sale) because all of the other ingredients are staples in my house.  This makes an excellent side dish, or of course, appetizer.  Seriously, people who think they don't like spinach just haven't eaten it the right way!  Hope you all love this as much as we do!!

What you need:

• 1 bag fresh spinach (around about 6 oz)
• 1 T finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic (WHOLE cloves - resist the urge to chop!)
• olive oil (I prefer extra virgin)
• 1 T butter (I always use Smart Balance)
• 1 T flour
• 1/2 c milk (or half and half, or heavy cream, the heavier the better, but I try to cut where I can)
• 1/4 c parmesan (I highly recommend grating your own, but use the stuff in the green canister if you must ;o)
• sprinkle of mozzarella (optional)
• salt and pepper

First things first, toss some oil (a tablespoon or 2), onions, and garlic into a skillet and begin to heat.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then spinach.  Saute over medium to medium-low heat, until the spinach is just wilted, then remove from heat and place on some paper towels to drain. 

Remove the 2 cloves of garlic and chop them (When you chop garlic, the cell walls are broken releasing flavor compounds, which intensifies the garlic.  Cooking it whole gives a milder, sweeter, less pungent effect), then add them back into the pan, along with the butter and flour.  Saute over medium heat for about a minute, then add milk/cream, and whisk until smooth and thickened.  Add more milk to thin if needed.  Add parmesan and optional mozzarella, and another pinch of salt and pepper (feel free to add more of any of these - it's all about your personal preference!)

(this is the cooked, chopped garlic)

Sqeeze any extra moisture out of the spinach in the paper towel, then add the spinach to the cream mixture.  This is where I chop the spinach using 2 knives.  I've tried chopping it before cooking, but the fresh pile is HUGE and you need a VERY sharp knife. Also, you could just chop it on a cutting board after straining, but why get one more thing dirty?

Stir the spinach into the cream.  This is the part where you can add chopped artichoke hearts, pour into a baking/serving dish, top with a little more cheese, and even a small pinch of paprika if you feel like a little extra zest - then broil in the oven for just a second or two - seriously, keep an eye on it! - and serve!  When I'm just making this for the family I skip all of that and spoon it straight of the pan into a ramekin - YUM!