Fall Spinach Salad

It's time to pack up fall and say hello to Christmas, but first...one last fall-ish dish.  This recipe makes a ton-it says it serves 16, but I could inhale the pecans alone.

Fall Spinach Salad

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Salad Ingredients:  
2 pkg of baby spinach (12 oz total), 1 medium apple (chopped), 1 c. crumbled feta 4 oz, 1 c. glazed pecans, 1/2 c. diced red onions, 1/3 c.dried cranberries, 5 pieces of bacon (cooked and crumbled)
Dressing Ingredients:  2 T apple cider vinegar, 1 T. sugar, 1/2 t. Dijon mustard, 1/8 t. pepper, 1/4 c. olive oil

Orzo Salad

I was looking for one of those dishes that covers the whole food pyramid and found this recipe on all recipes.  It was so good I made it twice. 
I'm all about a dish that pretty much covers it all, add a slab of beef to the side and everyone will be happy. 
Orzo Salad
Ingredients:  16 oz pkg uncooked orzo (I found this in the pasta aisle, though it looks like a large rice), 1/2 c. olive oil, 2 T butter, 1/2 t. minced garlic, 1/2 t. dried basil, 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes (skip this if you don't like a little kick), 1 c. pine nuts, 10 oz pkg baby spinach (fresh), 1/8 c. balsamic vinegar, 8 oz pkg crumbled feta cheese, 1/2 c. tomato-chopped, salt to taste. 
Instructions:  Cook pasta for 8-10 minutes.  Drain.  In a separate skillet heat olive oil and butter.  Stir in garlic, basil, and red pepper.  Reduce heat to medium.  Stir in pine nuts and cook until slightly brown.  Add spinach, cover and cook on low for 5 minutes (until spinach is wilted...it takes up about a 6th of the space once it's done 'wilting').  Toss spinach in orzo pasta.  To serve, drizzle with vinegar and sprinkle feta and tomatoes on top.  Season with salt to taste. 

Lazy Day Spinach Lasagna

I found this recipe in a magazine.  It's a keeper. It was really easy, add the spinach you and can sneak some vitamins in there.  Sneaky.  If you need a lazy day kind of recipe....here it is....
Spinach Ravioli Lasagna
Ingredients:  1 1/2 jars (26 oz) marinara sauce, 3 (13 oz) pkg frozen ravioli, 1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry), 8 oz grated mozzarella cheese, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Instructions: 
1.  Preheat oven 375
2.  Spread a thin layer of sauce in 9x13 inch pan.  Arrange a layer of frozen ravioli in a single layer.  Add half of the spinach, 1/2 of the sauce, and half of the mozzarella cheese. 
3.  Repeat layers.  Top with Parmesan cheese. 
4.  Cover pan with foil.  Bake for 35 min.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes (until cheese is melted and pasta is cooked).  Let stand 5 minutes. 

Spinach Dip

I love love love this dip, and it's so easy, and so delicious.  It's so easy....I won't even wax lyrical about it, I'll just get straight to business so I can get back to eating above mentioned spinach dip. 

Instructions for making Spinach Dip:  Mix 16 oz of sour cream, one packet of ranch dressing seasion mix, a small (thawed and well drained) package of frozen spianch, 1/2 jar of drained/chopped water chestnuts (optional).  Mix well and refridgerate.  Buy a loaf of Hawaiian Bread and hallow out the innards to create a bowl.  Tear up the insides and place around the center for dipping out the spianch dip and eating. 

Individual Dip Bread Bowls

 I saw this idea on picky palate and thought it was genius for football parties.  Nothing is less appetizing than watching 437 other people digging into dips....so why not create some mini bowls with the dip included...one touch-it's yours?  You can use any version of spinach dip-mix it all up, but before baking=grab a canned french loaf. 

 I sprayed tins with cooking oil, and then lined each with the french loaf.  I was able to get about ten 'regular' size muffins out of the can.  If you want less dough, roll them thinner.  But really, who wants less dough?

 I created a crater in the middle, and filled it with my uncookied dip.  I topped the tops with a little parmesan. 

 I baked them at 350 for 12-15 minutes until the edges were browned. 

I'm definitely doing this in the future for 'other dips.'  I think the key is cooking the dough all the way through.  The dip will follow.