Marie Duane's Spinach Balls

We met Marie Duane while living in Woodstock and she and her husband Allan became great friends of ours. An evening at the Duane's was always a wonderful event. Marie was from New Zealand and she and Allan had lived all over Europe and they brought a very warm sense of entertaining with them to New York. I was taken by these spinach balls the first time I tried them.

Along with Ina Garten's Stilton and Walnut Crackers, this should be a mainstay in your freezer for last minute entertaining. Easy to make and they are best when cooked while frozen, this is a no brainer and full flavor appetizer.

Marie Duane's Spinach Balls

• 2 packages of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups stuffing mix (Pepperidge Farm works perfectly)
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup melted butter (1 1/2 sticks...not a diet food, but they are small bites)
• 1 cup chopped onion (one small to medium onion)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbs. black pepper
• 1 tbs. salt

Start by putting the spinach in boiling water to thaw. Then put in a colander and press dry with the back of a kitchen spoon. Let cool a few minutes. (The water that the spinach was cooked in can be the base for a healthy vegetable stock if saved.)
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. You'll have to work to have the spinach evenly distributed. Then chill the mixture in the refrigerator for one hour.
Use a table spoon to scoop out a portion of the mixture and form into a ball. Put on a cooking sheet and continue. Then put the filled cookie sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours or over night. Then you can store them in an air tight container in the freezer.
When you are ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Then put as many as you wish to serve on a cooking sheet, leaving a little room between each ball. Then back for 22 minutes.
Serve with dijon or spicy brown mustard.