Carney's Culinary Creations: #9 Spinach & Cheese Balls

Getting enough vegetables day in and day out isn't always fun. But, here is an easy way to incorporate some leafy greens into your dinner or snack time. These spinach and cheese balls are a great alternative to greasy garlic bread. Although, it does still have its fair share of cheese. I just couldn't resist.

These are a little bit outside of some peoples' comfort zones, including a couple of my family members. My dad, being a good sport, decided to try them. Not without warning me first, though, that "You know I'm not a big spinach guy.." I knew.

Needless to say, he cleared his plate, saying "Those are actually pretty good!" Ahh, success. I did add a little more cheese than the original recipe called for. Who wouldn't? Even though these are a little on the healthy side, I tried to make them tasty, too.

So, even if you aren't a big spinach or even veggie person, I would still recommend giving these a try. They're SUPER easy, and they would go great with some chicken or even some soup.

Making these is a great way to get some greens into your diet. And, being able to dunk them in marinara sauce really helps them to be kid-friendly!

Spinach & Cheese Balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes + 2 hours chill time. Cook time: 20 minutes. Total time: 35 minutes + 2 hours chill time.

Yields: about 15 balls

Ingredients:

10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and well rinsed
1 1/4 cups Panko bread crumbs (I used plain, but Italian style would work also)
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
*1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Marinara sauce, for serving

*I used a food processor to chop mine. Also, you can use up to one cup of onion if you prefer.

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined.

*2. Form mixture into balls, about the size of 1-2 tablespoons. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and chill in the freezer for at least two hours.

 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cookie sheet from freezer 20 minutes before baking.

4. Bake for 20 minutes until the bottoms are slightly browned. Allow to cool a couple minutes before eating.