What happens when you branch out on the road in search of the next best recipe? You just might find it!

 

 

 

 

 

Rescued Recipe road trips are a blast. We'll hear about a long lost recipe, and so we follow the scent--so to speak--but we never really know what manner of morsels and meals we're going to stumble upon along the way.

Last July at this time, Momma (our test kitchen crew chief) and I were motoring through the West and Southwest rooting around for stories about forgotten family meals and resurrected recipes. One trip led us from Bakersfield to Long Beach, California, where a family gathering was taking place. That's where we fell in love with a bowl of Parmesan Spinach Balls that had taken center stage on the hors d'oeuvres table. Momma decided right then that this dish would be her new go-to favorite for bridge parties, and I do as I always do-make a batch and put them in front of foodies-folks that have had there fair share of fare.

"This is all wrong," was the collective comment.  "What, the ingredients?" I asked.

"No, the amount. There's not enough here. We need a lot more." That's just what I needed to hear. So on this hot July afternoon one year later, as I sift through another batch of stories and recipes worth rescuing, I find the cream again rising to the top. This happy little appetizer from the Kellie Luther Family of California is a super scrumptious crowd-pleaser and ready to find a new home in your own personal recipe box! 

 

Parmesan Spinach Balls

 

Ingredients:

2 (10 ounce each) packages of frozen spinach (chopped)

2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese (grated)

½ cup butter, softened

1 medium sweet yellow onion (finely chopped)

¼ cup Marsala, Sherry or any white wine (not too dry)

4 eggs (lightly beaten)

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a skillet, sauté onions in two tablespoons of the ½ cup of butter until onions are soft and translucent. Add wine and spinach, and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Cool down.

In a bowl, combine cooled spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, cheese, remainder of the butter, eggs, salt and pepper. Roll and shape mixture into 1inch balls. Arrange the balls in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (If no parchment paper is available, use slightly greased non-stick baking sheet.)

Bake spinach balls for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. They will hold their shape and may stick slightly to the parchment paper. Serve warm with Dijon or any specialty mustard. These Parmesan Spinach Balls are also delicious in a red sauce like Marinara or Bolognese.