I offer this recipe in its original form as shared with me by a friend who served it to a hungry crew after an afternoon of tobagganing and skiing. Here in South Florida, I find that there are a few days between November and mid-March when the temperature is cool enough to enjoy this. Of course, you can always turn the air conditioning low to enjoy any time.

Since we in our family are very concerned about fats, I use skim milk and plain spinach when I make it for our own use. But I must admit, when I make it for a covered dish supper, I use the heavy stuff, because I so enjoy the raves I get!

Ingredients: 2 cups milk or 1 cup milk and 1 cup Half & Half, 2 cans cream of chicken soup (when I want a meat free dish, I use cream of potato soup, blended to remove all the chunks. When I feel energetic or have made clear broth for another reason, I use that with double thick reconstituted dried skim milk to add the texture of "creaminess"), 2 (10 ounce) packages creamed spinach, 2 (8 ounce) containers oysters (fresh, from a fish market), undrained, 1 cup white wine, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and lemon slices to garnish.

In a sauce pan or Dutch oven, stir milk into soup. Add spinach. Continue to stir while cooking over medium heat. If frozen spinach was used, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes after all spinach has thawed, stirring occasionally. Stir in oysters, wine and pepper. Cook until heated through, bring oysters to a just-poached doneness. DO NOT BOIL. Be careful not to overcook. Serve with garnishes of lemon slices.