Spinach baked in a cream sauce can be made ahead and baked at the last minute or baked ahead and gently reheated. Preheating the  milk in the microwave before adding to the flour and butter makes for a creamier sauce. For a low fat recipe alternative, the spinach and remaining ingredients can be baked together without making and incorporating a cream sauce.

3 eggs
4 cloves garlic (unpeeled) optional
1 pound local leaf spinach
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (1medium)
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
pinch nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. Hardboil eggs with optional garlic cloves. Slip skins off garlic and slice into slivers. Peel and chop eggs coarsley. Reserve

4. After rinsing and draining throughly, cover and slowly cook spinach for 5-10 minutes in water left on the leaves. Toss periodically to evenly cook but do not overcook. Spinach should be bright green when ready. Drain spinach and squeeze out as much juice as possible. Save liquid for future use in soups. Coarsely chop spinach.

5.  Saute onion in butter until soft and stir in flour and cook for 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Stir in spinach, optional garlic clove slivers, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Gently fold in hard boiled eggs. Place in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle top with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.

Servings: 4-6