Creamed Spinach and Parsnips

Directions

1. Clean, peel, and slice your parsnips into 1-inch batons.
2. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Par-cook the parsnips until almost cooked through in either a pot of simmering salted water for approximately 20 to 30 mins, or with a few inches of water in a slow cooker set to high heat (I cooked mine this way and it took about 3 hours).
3. When the parsnips are done, lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with a 2 tablespoons each of melted butter and honey.
4. Roast the parsnips in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until they start to get crispy and brown.
5. While the parsnips are roasting, clean the leaves from a large bunch of spinach and remove the tough stems. Roughly chop the spinach, blanch it in salted boiling water until bright green (less than 15 seconds), and then run it under cold water to set the color. Squeeze out the liquid and set aside.
6. Chop a small onion, and sautée it in some olive oil and butter (1 tablespoon each) on medium heat. When the onion is becoming translucent, add a tablespoon of flour and cook for another minute.
7. While the flour is cooking down, heat a cup of half and half in the microwave or on the stovetop for a minute, and then stir it slowly into the onions, whisking frequently to make sure there are no flour lumps.
8. Cook the half and half down for a few minutes until it's starting to thicken, then add a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper, and taste for seasoning.
9. Add your parsnips and spinach, heat through, and serve.