Food Fun Friday-Spinach Squares/Spinach Soufflé

My girlfriend at work gave me this recipe, it is great

*****a great South Beach recipe. I love it at work, for snack or lunch.

AND HERE IT IS GOING IN THE OVEN
AND HERE IT IS GOING IN MY LUNCH BAG.

Spinach Squares/Spinach Soufflé

Bake one hour at 350º. Use 9” square pan or 7 x 11 pan. Number of servings depends on size of square and whether you are using this as an appetizer or as a side vegetable.

2 Tbs. butter

1 small onion chopped (Leeks are a good substitute.)

1/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced

4 eggs

1 lb. cottage cheese

2 10 oz. packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed & well-drained– or –

fresh spinach, washed/dried/chopped, 6-8 cups loosely packed

1/4 lb. shredded yellow cheese - or –

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. herbs, blending pepper, dry basil, oregano

3 Tbsp. Flour or 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs (optional)

Melt butter, cook onions and mushrooms until soft.

Beat eggs w/ whisk. Add cottage cheese, spinach, cooked onion/mushroom mixture. Add grated cheese and herbs. Add flour or bread crumbs, if using. (Without the flour or crumbs, there’ll be a bit more liquid, but it’s manageable.)

Spread in greased (Pam-sprayed) pan. Bake one hour (check after 45 minutes for firmness) at 350º. Allow to cool before slicing. (Drain squares before putting them on a serving plate, if using no flour/bread crumbs.)

May be served warm and eaten w/ fork or served at room temperature and eaten with fingers.

NOTE: If using chard or other substitute vegetable, consider steaming the chopped veggie then drain really well before adding to egg mixture. Raw zucchini will produce quite a lot of liquid as it cooks. Raw spinach also releases quite a bit of liquid. To bake up reasonably firm “souffle’”, you’ll need to minimize liquid.