Spinach-Cheese Balls

December 17, 2011 by

Here’s a tasty appetizer from Betty Crocker (original here) that you can make ahead and freeze. Just pop them out of the freezer and bake them as needed. They’re great to have on hand for last-minute snacks. Spinach-Cheese Balls are the seventeenth of my 25 Appetizers of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
  • 1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
  • 2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 cup tomato pasta sauce, if desired

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F.
  2. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
  3. In large bowl, mix all ingredients, except pasta sauce.
  4. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet.
  5. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Immediately remove from pan. Serve with pasta sauce.

Variations

  • Cover and freeze unbaked balls up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brown.

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Beef Sirloin Steak with Baby Spinach

October 28, 2011 by

This recipe from Campbell’s (original online) “features a creamy sauce flavored with balsamic vinegar…and in just 40 minutes, you’ve got steak, veggies and potatoes ready to serve.”

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 boneless beef sirloin steak, 3/4-inch thick (about 1 pound), cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 large onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small red pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
  • 1 bag (about 7 ounces) fresh baby spinach
  • Hot mashed potatoes

Directions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the beef and cook until well browned on both sides.
  3. Remove the beef from the skillet.
  4. Pour off any fat.
  5. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet.
  6. Add the onion and pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
  7. Add the garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring often.
  8. Stir the soup, water, vinegar and rosemary in the skillet and heat to a boil.
  9. Return the beef to the skillet.
  10. Reduce the heat to medium.
  11. Stir in the spinach.
  12. Cover and cook the beef for 2 minutes for medium or until desired doneness.
  13. Serve the beef and vegetable mixture with the potatoes.

Filed under Main Dish, Meat Tagged with ,

Simmered Italian Rice

October 7, 2010 by

Found this tasty-looking recipe on the September issue of All You. It looks like an upscale version of the dish my brother named “Rice with Too Much Rice.” He was 4 or 5, and thought it was Chicken and Rice Soup with more rice than normal.

This variation from Swanson adds spinach and Parmesan. Can’t wait to try it out with some Italian-marinated chicken breasts or pork loin.

Ingredients

  • Simmered Italian Rice1 ¾ cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ¾ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (or thawed frozen spinach)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Heat broth and Italian seasoning in 2 qt. saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.
  2. Stir in rice and spinach.
  3. Reduce heat to low.
  4. Cover and cook 20 min or until rice is tender.
  5. Stir in the cheese.
  6. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Variations

  • A vegetarian version, made with vegetable broth, would be just as tasty.
  • If you’re out of Italian seasoning, substitute 1/3 tsp each of oregano, marjoram, and basil.
  • Saute 1 small onion, diced and a clove of garlic, in some butter till transparent, and add with the rice and spinach.
  • A blend of Romano and Parmesan cheese will work as well.

Time Required: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Filed under Italian, Side Dish Tagged with ,