Spinach & Asiago Cheese Wine Sauce Over Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups cooked white rice
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose white flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt or 1/2 teaspoon salt substitute
1 1/2 cups shredded asiago cheese
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups whole pecans or 1 1/2 cups whole walnuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar or 1 teaspoon Splenda brown sugar blend

Preparation

Place spinach in a colandar and push down to squeeze water from the spinach.
Put the spinach in a wide microwavable bowl and use fork to loosen and spread out.
Add white wine.
Cover. Cook at 70% power for 7 minutes. Set aside covered.
In large saucepan add margarine and white flour. Wisk to mix until margarine and flour mixed.
Slowly add milk while wisking and add salt.
Wisk until it starts to thicken. Turn off heat and cover.
In small saute pan add olive oil, cayenne pepper. Stir to mix.
Add nuts and sugar and stir.
Take off heat when nuts are coated and hot.
Put nuts on chopping board and chop.
Put in a small serving bowl to pass separately.
Heat the cooked rice.
Add cheese to sauce and stir in on low heat until the shredded cheese is melted and stirred into sauce.
Uncover spinach and drain.
Add to cream sauce and stir.
Add white pepper if desired.
Place the sauce in a tureen with serving spoon and pour over individual servings of hot rice or toast.
Pass the nuts to sprinkle on top.