Potluck Recipe #7: Spinach Pie

Spinach pie has no season — it's as comforting a winter dish as any, but paired with a fresh green salad reminds us of the lighter café fare of spring and summer. Of course, you can also pair it with toast and call it brunch. Whatever the season, this quiche is great to share--especially at an Open Arms potluck.


Spinach Pie
Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe (1991)

(Serves 6)

1 tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cups fresh baby spinach, packed

1 9-inch pie crust
1 tsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) grated Monterey Jack
1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) grated Parmesan
4 eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. dried dillweed

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Press your pie crust — homemade or store-bought -- to 9-inch-diameter pie pan, sealing any cracks. Trim edges.
2. Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes.
3. Add spinach and cook until it wilts, about 3-5 minutes. Cool slightly.
4. Sprinkle both cheeses over bottom of crust. Top with spinach mixture.
5. Beat eggs, cottage cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg and dillweed in large bowl to blend. Pour over spinach.
6. Bake until filling is set, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve.

Potluck Recipe #6: Ham & Cheese Pasta

Mother Nature may be lulling us into thinking that warm weather and green grass are right around the corner, but we all know we'll probably get a bit more snow and ice before spring truly arrives. Why not get one last hot dish fix in before the end of winter? And, as long as you’re making lots of food, invite some folks over for a potluck! This hearty casserole is sure to soothe your late-winter guests.

Find out how to host a potluck for Open Arms.


Ham and Cheese Pasta

(Serves 8-10 people)

2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 lb. spaghetti
1 1/2 lb. ham, diced *
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 cups broccoli tops
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup onions
1/4 cup garlic

6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
4 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups parmesan cheese


1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven.
2. Stir together bread crumbs, butter, garlic, cayenne pepper, and parmesan cheese and set aside.
3. Cook spaghetti in water (don’t add oil) until done. Drain.
4. Saute diced ham in pan with a little water and the brown sugar until the ham absorbs the sugar. Set aside.
5. Saute onions, celery and garlic until soft. Add the broccoli and continue cooking the vegetables until the broccoli is bright green. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
6. In Dutch oven, saute the flour in 6 tablespoons of the butter to create a roux; let the butter and flour brown and turn nutty. Add the milk and stir until thick. You can adjust thickness by adding more milk.
7. Add cheese, ham and vegetables, stir until coated and then put the entire mixture in baking dish and sprinkle with bread-crumb mixture. (This dish should fill a 9x12 pan or bigger.)
8. Bake for one hour or until breadcrumbs are toasty brown.


* You can make this a fantastic vegetarian dish by omitting ham and increasing the amount of veggies.