This pâté can be serve whole with crackers for spreading or sliced and plated to serve as the 1st course of the meal.

Cook Time: 4 hours
Yield: Serves 6 to 8

ingredients
One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, well-drained
1 1/2 cups slow-cooked or one 15.5 ounce can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dill weed, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Make
1. Cook the spinach according to the package directions. Drain very well to remove excess water from the spinach, squeezed dry in a clean dish towel, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook until any remaining moisture evaporates.
3. In a food processor, combine the spinach mixture, tofu, beans, pinenuts, lemon juice, dill weed, and salt and pepper to taste, and process until smooth.
4. Lightly oil a small loaf pan or 7-inch spring form pan (depending on the shape of your slow cooker). Spoon the Ponte mixture inside, packet in and smooth the top. Cover with aluminum foil, making several holes in the foil for steam to escape. Place the pan on a rack or trivet that has been set inside a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in inch of water into the bottom of the cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
5. Remove from the slow cooker and let cool completely before removing the pan. Refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight before serving. Serve cool or at room temperature.

How to Toasted Pine Nuts: place the pinenuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking or stirring constantly until toasted to a light Golden Brown. Remove from the hot pan immediately or they will continue to darken.

2 pkgs frozen creamed spinach, 9 oz each
12 oz penne pasta (3 1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb raw, large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, lightly salted. Add pkgs of spinach and then bring to boil again. Stir in pasta and cook until done.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Cook until shrimp is cooked through, about 3 min. Be careful about cooking too long, as the shrimp will get rubbery. Remove from heat.

3. Remove spinach pouches from water and drain pasta, reserving just a bit of the water in case it is needed to moisten the dish in the end. Return pasta to pot and add spinach. Then add the shrimp and the remaining 1/8 tsp of pepper. Toss to mix, adding only as much of the reserved water as absolutely necessary to reach desired consistency.

TIPS: Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta water to keep the pasta from sticking together. Serve with your favorite garlic bread or toast and you have an easy meal!