Gluten Bread

In the book Shaking the Nickel Bush, which is part of the Little Britches series by Ralph Moody, Ralph is put on a diet which includes something called “gluten bread.” After the children and I read that book, I searched the internet unsuccessfully for a recipe for this bread. Recently,  I happened to come across one as I was trying a different recipe in the cookbook Beard on Bread by James Beard. 

Beefy Spinach Casserole

Serves 6-8

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz. mushrooms, diced
1 t. salt
1 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. pepper
2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. sour cream
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Brown beef, onion, mushrooms, and garlic; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients, reserving half the cheese. Place in a greased 2 quart casserole dish and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes longer.

Recipes notes: I will sometimes use my own homegrown spinach in place of the packaged spinach, or garlic or onion powder in place of their fresh counterparts. And I usually forget to save out half the cheese and end up mixing it all in at one time. This recipe is pretty forgiving and always tastes delicious. Whenever I eat this, I think of the children's book DW The Picky Eater and imagine this is what the "spinach pie" she was served might have tasted like. I've even thought I'd like to try making it in a pie crust some time.

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices:  take it or leave it.  ~Buddy Hackett