Recipe(tried): Calhoun's Spinach Maria

Calhoun's Spinach Maria

4 cups milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs. Velveeta cheese
1/2 medium yellow onion
l tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. melted butter
6 tbsp flour
5 (10 oz.) pkgs.frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (i use pepper jack for added zing)

heat milk with the mustard,garlic and red pepper
in a saucepan to just below the boiling point,stirring frequently. reduce heat.
crumble velveeta in a bowl and microwave until melted. add to milk mixture.

Saute onion in 1 tbsp. butter and add to cheese sauce.
combine 5 tbsp. melted butter and flour in a small skillet, mix until blended. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes to make a roux, stirring constantly. add the roux to the cheese sauce. cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. remove from heat and cool about 15 minutes.

Squeeze as much water as you can from all the spinach. add to the cheese sauce and mix until blended. spoon into greased baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until brown.

This dish is such a huge hit whenever I take it to a potluck. You can adjust the red pepper flakes, too. It really is fairly easy to make, just takes some time.