Quick and Easy Creamed Bacon Spinach

2 ⅔ tablespoons butter

1 ½ large white onions, finely chopped

6 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 ½ cups milk

3 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

½ cup half-and-half

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, bacon, and garlic until bacon is crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.

Whisk flour, salt, and black pepper into onion mixture until blended and the flour and drippings form a paste, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slowly whisk milk into onion mixture. Bring to a boil, continuously whisking, until sauce is thick and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir spinach and half-and-half into sauce; cook until spinach is heated through, 4 to 6 minutes.