Old-Fashioned Eggs Beauregard

Eggs Beauregard in baking dish

Many recipes evolve across the years. Eggs Beauregard is a recipe that has changed. According to Wikipedia, it historically was hard boiled eggs in a cream sauce, while it now is generally a dish containing biscuits with gravy, fried eggs, and sausage. However, the recipe for Eggs Beauregard that I found in a hundred-year-old cookbook is made by putting spinach in a cream sauce, adding eggs, and then topping it with cheese. Eggs Beauregard on Toast

I don’t know why the old recipe I found is different from the Wikipedia descriptions of both the old and modern versions of Eggs Beauregard, but I’m glad I made this recipe. It’s a keeper. It’s tasty, and makes a beautiful breakfast or brunch dish.

My husband said that I should make Eggs Beauregard again, which is a high compliment from him.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Eggs Beauregard — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

When I made this recipe, I assumed that it called for 2 cups of cooked spinach. A 9-ounce bag of fresh spinach makes about 2 cups of cooked spinach. (Frozen or canned spinach could also be used.) It is important to heat whichever type of spinach is used; otherwise, this dish would need to be baked for more than 20 minutes.

The recipe doesn’t call for salt and pepper, but I sprinkled a little on the eggs since eggs are often topped with salt and pepper.

I did not want the eggs to spread out over the spinach, so for each egg, I pushed the spinach aside to make a hole. I used canning jar rings to keep the hole open until I put the egg in it. Once I placed the eggs in the holes, I removed the rings.

Making Eggs Beauregard

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Eggs Beauregard

Servings: 2 - 4
Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 cups cooked spinach, chopped (A 9-ounce bag of spinach makes about 2 cups when cooked. Frozen or canned spinach could also be used.)

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

4 eggs

salt and pepper

1/2 cup grated cheese

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Step 2. If using fresh spinach, wash and chop; then put in a pan with the water that is clinging to the spinach. Using medium heat, cook until the spinach wilts. (If using frozen or canned spinach, heat the spinach.) Remove from heat; and, if needed, drain to remove excess liquid.

Step 3. In the meantime, in another pan, using medium heat, melt butter, then stir in the flour. Gradually, add the milk while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the white sauce begins to thicken.

Step 4. Stir the white sauce into the spinach.

Step 5. Put the spinach mixture in a flat baking dish. (A 9 inch by 9 inch works well.)

Step 6. Make four holes in the spinach where the eggs can be placed, then put an egg in each hole. (I used canning jar rings to keep the holes open. Once the eggs were placed in the holes, I removed the rings.) Sprinkle salt and pepper on each egg.

Step 7. Sprinkle with grated cheese, then bake in the oven until the egg whites are opaque and set (about 20 minutes). Remove from oven and serve.

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Old-Fashioned Macaroni with Spinach

Marcaroni with Spinach

Macaroni with Cheese is the ultimate comfort food, but it can get a little boring. So, when I saw a hundred-year-old recipe that called for adding spinach I decided to give it a try.

The Macaroni with Spinach was tasty – though not creamy like most modern Mac and Cheese recipes. It was not creamy because the old recipe did not call for adding any milk. Because of the lack of liquids, I needed to use care when baking this dish to ensure that the macaroni did not dry out and get hard. I covered the baking dish for most of the time it was in the oven and then removed the cover for the last few minutes to crisp the bread crumb topping.

I had some leftovers when I made this recipe which I carefully put in another dish. I added some milk before reheating which helped keep the macaroni moist.

Here is the original recipe:

Macaroni with Spinach — Source: American Cookery (February, 1925)

Spinach cooks down a great deal, but two pounds of fresh spinach seemed like a lot of spinach when the recipe only called for 1/2 pound of macaroni (about 2 cups of dry macaroni). One pound of spinach would be plenty. When I made this recipe I substituted a 12-ounce bag of frozen spinach for the fresh spinach. I am not sure why the recipe author called for pressing the spinach through a colander after it was cooked. I tried to do this. (Actually, I pressed it through a Foley mill.) I ended up with a small amount of puree and lots of spinach that wouldn’t go through. I ended up finely chopping the spinach that didn’t go through the mesh and stirring it into the puree. This worked fine, but I realized that if I was going to use all the parts of the spinach that I didn’t need to press it through a colander or Foley mill so I revised the recipe to just indicate that the spinach should be finely chopped.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Macaroni with Spinach

Servings: 6 - 8
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate
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1 pound fresh spinach (or 1 12-ounce bag frozen chopped spinach)

2 cups macaroni

2 cups grated cheese (I used cheddar.)

approximately 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs (I grated 1 slice of bread.)

1 tablespoon butter

hard-boiled egg for garnish (optional)

tomato slices for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375◦ F. Wash spinach then put in a large skillet and sauté using medium heat with just the water that clings to the leaves until it wilts. Remove from heat and finely chop. (Alternatively use frozen chopped spinach that has been thawed.)

In the meantime, cook the macaroni following package instructions.

Also, in a small skillet melt the butter. Add the breadcrumbs and stir. Cook until the bread crumbs are just beginning to brown while stirring occasionally (about two minutes).

To assemble the dish put one half of the cooked macaroni in a baking dish. (An 8 X 8 dish or a 1 1/12 quart dish works well). Then put a layer containing one half of the chopped spinach on top of the macaroni. Next add a layer containing one-half of the grated cheese. Repeat the layers with the remainder of the macaroni, spinach, and cheese. Top with the buttered breadcrumbs.

Cover and put in the oven. Bake until hot (about 30-40 minutes.) Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes so that the breadcrumbs will be crispy.

Remove from oven and (if desired) garnish with hard-boiled egg slices and tomato slices.

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Old-fashioned Spinach (French Style)

Spinach (French Style)

I was looking for a quick and easy vegetable recipe, and came across a recipe for Spinach (French Style) in a hundred-year-old cookbook, and decided to give it a try. The spinach was served in a chicken broth sauce lightly flavored with nutmeg and grated lemon rind.

Here’s the original recipe:

I’m a bit befudled by this recipe. It calls for one peck of spinach. I think a peck is equal to eight quarts. That sounds like a huge amount of spinach- though I know that it wilts down a lot when cooked. In any case, I decided to use a 10-ounce package of frozen spinach when I made the recipe, though may be way off on the amount.

I think that the recipe calls for one-teaspoon of both salt and pepper – though am not positive. That also seemed like a lot, so I used 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. The recipe doesn’t give amounts for the nutmeg and lemon rind. I used 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of grated lemon rind.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Spinach, French Style

Servings: 4 - 6
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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1 10-ounce package frozen spinach

4 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (peel)

2/3 chicken broth

Cook spinach following package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and grated lemon rind. Gradually, add the chicken broth while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until it thickens. Stir in the spinach. Heat until hot and bubbly. Remove from heat.

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1923 Kraft Cheese Advertisement (with Recipe for Spinach Timbales)

Spinach Timbale on plate A full-page advertisement in a 1923 issue of Ladies Home Journal for Kraft Cheese piqued my interest. It contained a recipe for Spinach Timbales. From time to time I see timbale recipes in hundred-year-old magazines and cookbooks. Timbales back then were creamy vegetable or meat mixtures that were put into individual molds and baked.

The advertisement made the claim that Spinach Timbales were tasty and so nutritious they could be considered a prescription. With a claim like that – and, an attention-grabbing image of the timbales – I decided this was a must-try recipe.

Kraft Cheese Advertisement — Source: Ladies Home Journal (May, 1923)

My Spinach Timbales didn’t look like the ones in the old advertisement, though I tend to think that they were more visually appealing than the ones in the old drawing (but I could be prejudiced since I made them). The Timbales were tasty, and reminded me a little of Spinach Souffle.

I used custard cups as the mold when I made this recipe since I don’t have timbale molds. I’m actually not even sure what a timbale mold is — though based on the drawing in the advertisement, I think that it may be narrower and higher than a custard cup.

I finely chopped the cheddar cheese when I made this recipe to try to get a similar look to the drawing – though the cheese melted when I baked the timbales and didn’t stay as small chunks, so shredded or grated cheese would work just fine.

The old recipe didn’t include a recipe for the cheese sauce, so to make it, I just made a white sauce and added cheese to it.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Spinach Timbales

Servings: 3 - 4
Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 cups cooked spinach, chopped (I used 2 cups frozen spinach that I briefly cooked.)

2 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoons salt

dash pepper

2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, shredded, grated, or cut fine

cheese sauce (see below)

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced

Preheat oven to 375° F. Put egg yolks, milk, butter, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl; beat until combined. Stir in the cheddar cheese and spinach.

In the meantime, put the egg whites in another bowl and beat until soft peaks form.

Fold the beaten egg whites into the spinach and cheese mixture. Spoon into greased custard cups. Place the custard cups in a pan with hot water that comes to about an inch below the top of the cups. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of the mixture comes out clean.

Remove Spinach Timbales from custard cups after baking.

To serve: Spoon some of the cheese sauce onto plate. Set timbales in the cheese sauce. Top each timbale with an slice of the hard-boiled egg.

Cheese Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash pepper

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

In a saucepan , melt butter using medium heat; then stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually, add the milk while stirring constantly. Add cheese, and continue stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens.

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Old-fashioned Spinach Soup

bowl of spinach soup

I have warm memories of Popeye the Sailor Man eating spinach to grow strong. Spinach is chockful of nutrients, and is an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and vitamin C, as well as being one of the best sources of plant-based iron. What’s not to like?

As a result, I’m always on the lookout for good spinach recipes. So when I came across a hundred-year-old for Spinach Soup, I decided to give it a try.

The creamy Spinach Soup was delicious with a slight peppery undertone which added interest.

Here’s the original recipe:

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Spinach Soup

Servings: 4 - 5
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 quarts spinach (I used a 10 ounce package of spinach.)

6 cups water

1/2 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1 clove garlic or 2 tablespoons chopped onion (I used the chopped onion.)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 cup cream, if desired

Put spinach and water into a large pan, and bring to a boil using high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and puree or press through a sieve. (I used a Foley mill.)

In the meantime, put milk, garlic or onion, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Using medium heat, scald the milk, while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and strain. (Discard the garlic or onion and bay leaf.)

Put butter in large pan or dutch oven. Melt using low heat; then stir in the flour. Slowly add scalded milk while stirring constantly. Then stir in the spinach mixture, salt, cayenne pepper, and celery salt. Heat until steamy, then serve.

If desired whip the cream, and put a dollop of the whipped cream on top of each bowl of soup.

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Old-fashioned Spinach with Gravy

Spinach with Gravy in Bowl

I’m always looking for new ways to use vegetables, so when I saw an easy-to-make recipe for Spinach with Gravy in a hundred-year-old cookbook, I decided to give it a try.

The recipe turned out well. The gravy enhanced the flavor of the spinach, and was quite tasty. I served it as a stand-alone side dish – though I think that Spinach with Gravy would also be delightful on toast.

Here is the original recipe:

Recipe for spinach with gravy — Source: Good Housekeeping’s Book of Recipes and Household Discoveries (1920)

The directions in the old recipe for the gravy are a little confusing. The recipe calls for meat gravy, which I would assume already contained some flour or other thickener, yet it also indicates that 1 teaspoon flour should be stirred into 2 tablespoons of melted butter – and then the gravy should be added. This suggests that the recipe author thought that the gravy needed to be thicker than the typical gravy – though 1 teaspoon of flour isn’t much, so why bother?

I used the second option (which is described in the text beneath the ingredient list), and used bouillion cubes when I made the gravy. It worked fine.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Spinach with Gravy

Servings: 3 - 5
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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2 quarts (1 8-ounce bag) spinach

Gravy – Option 1

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon flour

1 1/2 meat gravy

Gravy – Option 2

2 bouillion cubes (I used beef bouillion cubes.)

1 1/2 cups boiling water

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

Wash spinach and cut into small pieces. Put in a pan, and using medium heat cook until tender (3-5 minutes). The water clinging to the spinach may provide sufficient liquid for cooking the spinach; if not, add a small amount of water.

In the meantime, make gravy.

Gravy: Option 1: In the meantime, in another pan, using medium heat, melt butter; then stir in the flour. Gradually, add gravy while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the gravy is hot and bubbly. Remove from heat, and add the cooked spinach. Stir to combine.

Gravy Option 2: Dissolve the bouillion cubes in the boiling water to make a broth. In a pan, using medium heat, melt butter; then stir in the flour. Gradually, add the broth while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the gravy is hot and bubbly. Remove from heat, and add the cooked spinach. Stir to combine.

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Old-Fashioned Eggs with Spinach and Cheese

Preparing eggs in the basic ways can get boring, so I was pleased to find a hundred-year-old recipe for Eggs with Spinach and Cheese. Each egg is served in an individual ramekin which makes an easy to serve, lovely presentation that can turn any breakfast into a special meal. The eggs are embedded between layers of creamed spinach and cheese.

Here is the original recipe:

I’m not sure what a “very moderate” oven meant in 1920, but I interpreted it to mean 350° F. Maybe it actually was higher. The 5-8 minutes baking time called for in the original recipe was not nearly long enough to set the eggs. It took about 15 minutes for them to set.

And, here is the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Eggs with Spinach and Cheese

Servings: 3
Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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5 ounces (5 cups) of fresh baby spinach (approximately 1/2 cup cooked spinach)

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar.)

3 eggs

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F. Wash spinach and put in a sauce pan. There should be some water clinging to the spinach. Using medium heat, cook until the spinach has wilted down (about 2 minutes) while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the meantime, in another pan, using medium heat, melt butter; then stir in the flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Gradually, add milk while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the white sauce thickens. Remove from heat, and add the cooked spinach. Stir to combine.

Put 1/6 of the spinach and white sauce mixture in each of 3 small ramekins; then sprinkle with 1/6 of the shredded cheese. Then break an egg into each of the ramekins. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put 1/6 of the spinach and cream sauce mixture on top of each egg; then sprinkle with 1/6 of the shredded cheese on top of it.

Put in oven and cook for 15 – 18 minutes, or until the eggs are set.

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