Thanksgiving : Spinach Madeline

This Wednesday on my blog I planning for Thanksgiving Lunch . One recipe that was always included on our table was Mom favorite Spinach Madeline made from River Road Cook book. A Louisiana favorite for the holiday ! And perfect for National Spinach month. Lisa

Madeline Reynaud Wright in 1956. No one was as surprised as she was at the recipe’s reception, she said. She’d made the dish at the last minute for a bridge luncheon in 1956, tossing in random ingredients from her fridge and pantry when she didn’t have time to go to the store. The recipe is such a great window into a 1950s American kitchen. There’s a quick blonde roux made with butter, flour, evaporated milk and vegetable liquor (reserved from cooking the spinach), a little chopped onion, cooked frozen spinach, a 6-ounce jalapeño cheese log and seasonings that include celery salt, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper.

• 2(10 ounce) packages  frozen chopped spinach
• 4tablespoons  butter
• 2tablespoons  flour
• 2tablespoons chopped Onions
• ¹⁄₂cup  Evaporated milk
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon garlic salt
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon celery salt (or you can use 1/4 tsp. garlic powder)
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon  pepper
• 1teaspoon  Worchester sauce
• ¹⁄₃lb hot  Monterey Jack cheese cut into small chunks
• breadcrumbs, for topping

• Cook spinach as directed on package; drain; reserve 1/2 cup liquid.
• Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
• Whisk in flour until smooth.
• Add onion; cook until soft but not brown.
• Slowly add milk and reserved spinach liquid, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened.
• Stir in garlic salt, celery salt, pepper, Worcestershire and cheese; continue stirring until sauce is smooth.
• Combine with spinach.
• Pour into a 1 1/2-quart casserole and top with crumbs.
• Bake at 350ºF until heated through and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.