INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low fat (2%) milk
1 ounce cream cheese
1 pinch salt
1 small can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
8 ounces water or light white table wine
METHOD
Melt the
butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Slowly sprinkle the flour into the
skillet and mix thoroughly forming a roux. Gradually pour the milk into the
skillet and mix it into the roux.
Add thin
slices of the cream cheese to the sauce and stir until the cream cheese is
completely absorbed. Add the tomato sauce and water/wine and mix thoroughly. (See
Note) Cook the soup for 4 to 5 minutes or until it thickens. It will provide 2
to 4 servings.
NOTE: If
the cream cheese is not thoroughly mixed in it can cause small lumps in the
final product. If this is not desired, pour the soup into a blender or food
processor and pulse for a few seconds before continueing to cook and thicken.
Accompanying
my dinner Christmas Eve was a side dish of creamed spinach. It was delicious
and the experience was like finding a long lost friend. Since we were dining out,
I couldn’t ask the chef for the recipe but was determined to find one. It has
taken quite a while, but here it is.
INGREDIENTS
1 bag (10 ounces) fresh spinach or baby
spinach
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped white onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low fat (2%) milk
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ounce cream cheese
1 pinch salt
METHOD
Being sort
of fussy, I like to remove the heavy stems from the spinach before continuing,
but it isn’t completely necessary. Roughly chop the spinach and place into a
steamer. Steam for 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Set aside.
Melt the
butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped onions. Cook for
7 to 8 minutes until they are very soft but do not caramelize. Slowly sprinkle
the flour into the skillet and mix thoroughly forming a roux. Gradually pour
the milk into the skillet and mix it into the roux.
Add the
nutmeg and thin slices of the cream cheese to the sauce and stir until the
cream cheese is completely absorbed and the sauce has thickened, about 3 to 5
minutes. Add the spinach and mix thoroughly before serving.
Based upon
recipes from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse via Food.com, Real Simple
Magazine and many more from the
internet.
