Grammy's Recipe Book Appetizers & snacks

Spinach Squares

350°F ovenone 9×13 dish

Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Rest
15 mincool before cutting
Total
1 hr 10 minstart to eating

Times are our estimates for Grammy's recipe, with unhurried prep.

Grammy's handwritten page for Spinach Squares
Page 26 · full size

As written

Word for word from her page, with her spelling and line breaks. [?] marks a word we couldn't read.

[a typed recipe, pasted in, with her notes in pen]

Spinach Squares

4 Tbsp butter 1 C milk
3 eggs 1 tsp salt
1 C flour 1 tsp baking powder
3/4 lb (1 lb sharp Cheddar cheese, grated)
1 Tbsp chopped oninon
2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, seasoned salt (optional)
thawed & drained well

In 9X13X2 baking dish, melt butter. Set aside. In large
bowl, beat eggs well, then add flour, milk, salt and baking
powder. Mix well. Add cheese, spinach and onion: mix well.
Spoon into baking dish; level and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes. Let cool. Cut into
squares.

Grated cheese 1 & 1/2 8 oz. bags

Grammy's recipe

Her recipe, typed out to cook from: her amounts and her words, with abbreviations spelled out and the steps numbered.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ pound sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (1½ 8-ounce bags)
  • 2 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
  • 1 tablespoon chopped onion
  • Seasoned salt (optional)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 350°. Melt the butter in a 9×13×2 baking dish and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs well, then add the flour, milk, salt and baking powder. Mix well.
  3. Add the cheese, spinach and onion and mix well.
  4. Spoon into the baking dish, level it, and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
  5. Bake 35 minutes. Let cool, then cut into squares.

Modernized

A present-day cookbook version, with missing steps filled in. These are suggestions, not her words.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 12 ounces sharp cheddar, grated (about 3 cups)
  • 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
  • 3 green onions, sliced (or 1 tablespoon minced onion)
  • Seasoned salt (optional)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a 9×13 baking dish in the oven, then tilt to coat.
  2. Beat the eggs well, then whisk in the milk, flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg until smooth.
  3. Stir in the cheese, spinach and onions.
  4. Spread in the dish, level, and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
  5. Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden and set in the center.
  6. Cool 15 minutes, then cut into small squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ideas to play with

Twists and variations to try. Suggestions, not hers.

  • Freezer appetizer

    Freeze the cut squares on a tray, then bag them. Reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes.

  • Feta and dill

    Swap half the cheddar for crumbled feta and add fresh dill, for spanakopita flavor.

  • Bacon

    Stir in 6 slices of crumbled cooked bacon.

  • Mini muffins

    Bake in greased mini-muffin cups for 15–18 minutes. They’re easy for parties.