Alice in the Kitchen

Spinach Balls

These were a surprise treat.  I had been holding on to the recipe for awhile and finally got a chance to make them before an impromptu holiday party at my folks’ house at Christmas.  I mean, they were really good!  And they’re made of spinach!  I mean sure, they’re loaded with less-than-healthy extras, but it’s mostly spinach!  Popeye would approve.  I think that these would be a nice cocktail appetizer for the vegetarians in the crowds, and carnivores will love them as well.  Matt, my resident non-vegetable-eater, ate 1/4 of one and declared it “actually pretty good” – and if I haven’t won you over yet, then I give up.

Here we go:

2 boxes frozen chopped spinach

2 cups herb bread stuffing mix (I used Pepperidge Farm – it’s better if you can run this through the food processor before mixing)

2 onions, chopped fine

6 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon garlic salt

2/3 teaspoon thyme

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

Rinse and drain spinach according to directions on box – squeeze out the extra moisture. Mix in remaining ingredients. Make into marble size ball (the directions say marble size, but I think golf ball size is more accurate.) Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

And you know what’s clutch?  You can freeze these bad boys before baking and then thaw them for an hour before you need them.  I had a bag in the freezer that we took on two ski weekends and they still heated up and were delicious.  I even think these would make a nice holiday gift, maybe along with some sausage balls – a savory alternative to all the sweets at Christmas time.