By First week of June. The summer is settling in. The light is the long light. The garden is producing the early things — radishes, lettuce, spinach, the first peas. The first cherry tomatoes will be in two weeks.
Tommy and Kai and Danielle are coming the last week of June. Kai called Sunday to confirm. Tommy is going to be six in late May — Kai said his birthday party went well, Tommy got a small set of carving tools, has been making things in the garage with Kai, asking when he can come visit Pawpaw and use Pawpaw's tools.
Tuesday I called Macy. Henry is coming up tomorrow to visit the property. He's going to be in the cohort starting in September. He wants to see the bay before the class starts. Macy said: he's nervous. I said: he should be a little nervous. She said: he's a lot nervous. I said: tell him not to be a lot nervous. She said: I will.
Wednesday Henry came up. He was a lot nervous. I walked him through the bay slowly. I showed him the tools. I showed him the safety equipment. I showed him the sample work from previous cohorts. I told him about the first day, the introductions, what to expect. By the end of the visit he was less nervous. He said: I'm going to be okay. I said: you're going to be more than okay. He said: thank you, Mr. Whi— Jesse. I said: yes Henry. He drove back to Tulsa.
Caleb and Miriam Saturday. They are settling into married life with a calmness that is the kind of calmness I want for everyone I love. Miriam has redone the curtains in Caleb's kitchen. Caleb has put up the pottery shelf I welded brackets for. The trailer is now their trailer. Caleb said: I'm thinking about looking for a small house. I said: when. He said: not yet. Maybe next year. I said: there's no rush. He said: I know. He said: I just want to know it could happen. I said: yes.
The spinach has been coming in steadily this week — more than I can eat in salads, more than I can give away one handful at a time. With Tommy and Kai and Danielle coming at the end of the month, and Henry finding his footing, and Caleb and Miriam settling into their life together, I’ve been thinking about food that’s made to be passed around a table. These Spinach Cheese Swirls use what’s right there in the garden and turn it into something you set down in the middle of a room and let people reach for. That felt like the right thing to make.
Spinach Cheese Swirls
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped (or 1/2 cup frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, cheddar, Parmesan, cream cheese, garlic, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix until evenly combined.
- Roll the pastry. Unfold the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll it to smooth any creases into an approximate 10x12-inch rectangle.
- Spread the filling. Spread the spinach cheese mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge.
- Roll and seal. Starting from the long edge with filling reaching the edge, roll the pastry tightly into a log. Press the bare border to seal. Brush the outside lightly with the beaten egg.
- Slice. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 3/4-inch rounds. You should get about 12 swirls. Place them cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart.
- Bake. Bake for 18—22 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden and the cheese is bubbling at the edges. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 148 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 185mg