Arancini (Rice Balls)

If you have never had an Arancini Ball you surely don't know what you are missing. Arancini are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with bread crumbs and deep fried until golden brown and served with your favorite sauce. Arancini makes great use of leftover Risotto or rice.

Risotto is usually cooked and flavored with broth, veggies, and parmesan cheese and served as a side dish.   Once it is chilled you can easily roll it into balls and stuff with your favorite cheese or other savory items.  

I have also used leftover Chinese Rice or have ordered extra rice to make Arancini.   You just simply reheat it with broth, white wine, butter and mix in some parmesan cheese.  Cook until it can from a ball and chill.   

Not to be out done by savory Arancini there is also a way to make a sweet Arancini.   Replace all those savory ingredients with Milk, Cream, Butter, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and some sugar.   Stuff with chocolate, Nutella, chocolate covered cherry, or pieces of your favorite candy bar.   

To get the recipe click on the photo below to open.  Once open right click on the photo and save to your favorite spot on your computer or just print it out. This is a two page recipe.

Find more recipes here......

Follow me on Facebook

Or find me on Pinterest

or find me on Just a Pinch 

Join me on Google+ 

From the bottom of my heart.............. 

involtini di melanzane (aka: Eggplant Rollatini)

Eggplant rollatini is fresh eggplant rolled with a cheesy filling and topped with savory sauce making it a family-pleaser. Hearty, robust comfort food at its best and simple to make using a few basic ingredients.   Yes, I said simple.  Two simple recipes: filling and sauce and an eggplant.   Really it is that simple.  If your family likes eggplant, they will love this dish.  If you don't want to take the time to roll individual rolls, then by all means layer the planks as if you were making lasagna: layer of eggplant, layer of filling, repeat, top with sauce, parmesan and mozzarella.  

 

involtini di melanzane (aka: Eggplant Rollatini)

Filling:

1 or 2 small eggplant, cut into planks

1-16 oz. container of ricotta cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. parsley
1 egg

Sauce:
1-28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes or your favorite sauce
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. sweet basil
½ tsp. sugar

1 pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

 
Slice the eggplant the long way as thin as you can.   Place in a bowl of cold salty water.  Put a small plate on top and then set something heavy to hold the plate down and keep the eggplant submerged in the salty water.  Let set for ½ hour.  

Meanwhile mix the filling ingredients: ricotta cheese, parmesan, garlic powder, parsley, and egg,  in a small bowl just until all ingredients are combined.  

In another bowl mix the sauce and the spices.  You don’t even have to cook it.  It will cook in the oven. 

Cover the bottom of an ovenproof dish with just enough sauce so you can’t see the dish.   Once the eggplant has darkened the water take it out and pat it dry with paper towels.   Place one to two tablespoons of filling on one end of the eggplant plank and roll away from you. Place each roll into the sauce covered dish.   Once you have a complete layer.  Drizzle with another layer of sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan and shredded mozzarella cheese. 

Place in a preheated 350° oven.  Bake for 45-60 minutes.  

 

I look forward to hearing some of your comments.   Enjoy!



For more recipes, click the button below:



 

Follow me on Facebook
 

Or find me on Pinterest

 

 Click this image to subscribe

 

 

Join me on Google+

 

 

 

 

From the bottom of my heart.............. 

 

Lobster Mac & Cheese

My first time at this recipe and it turned out great.   I am a big fan of lobster and I like mac and cheese as long as it isn't made with sharp cheese.   So, when I seen this on a recent episode of Diners Drive-ins and Dives I thought wow that sounds yummy.  Of course they don't post recipes for everything so I jotted down the ingredients with no measurements and tried my luck at figuring out what might work.   Wah! La!  

Now I know some people will laugh that I use American cheese.  However,  I have to tell you, don't knock it until you try it.   It makes a great, creamy cheese sauce when added to a good béchamel sauce.    

It was a big hit with those that were fortunate to get a dish of it.

Lobster Mac & Cheese

 

3 cups shells/elbows or your favorite pasta shape

4 tbsp. Butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
6-8 slices American cheese (I use Kraft)
2 oz. Munster Cheese diced small or grated
2 oz. Very Mild Cheddar Cheese (do not used aged, it will over power the lobster).
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1 tsp. honey
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 lb. cooked lobster meat, chopped into chunks
1-2 tbsp. butter
¼ cup unflavored bread crumbs
 
Bring pan of water to boil.  Add salt and uncooked pasta.  Cook for eight minutes.   Drain.  In the meanwhile make Béchamel Sauce.   In small sauce pan melt four tablespoons of butter. 
Add pinch of salt and pepper to flour.  Stir flour into butter and cook for 1-2 minutes to cook out flour taste.   Stir in whole milk, bring up to temperature and then add the cheeses.  Stirring constantly until thickened and cheese has melted.    Place one cup frozen corn in microwave safe bowl.  Cook per microwave directions.   Stir in a small teaspoon of honey.     Stir drained pasta into cheese sauce.  Add corn  and then finally the lobster meat.   Butter a small casserole dish.  Dump in lobster mac and cheese. In small fry pan melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter, add the bread crumbs.  Toast until golden brown.  Sprinkle over lobster mac and cheese.  Place in oven heated to 350° for 15-20 minutes.  

Notes:  

 

I found lobster already cooked and pkg. in the fish dept. at Price Chopper.   Just be sure to check the dates.   It was not frozen and the best part is….it was on sale.  

Do not use aged sharp cheddar cheese, the flavor will over power the lobster.   Use cheeses that melt easy and have a mild flavor.   



For more recipes, click the button below:



 

Follow me on Facebook
 

Or find me on Pinterest

 

 Click this image to subscribe

 

 

Join me on Google+

 

 

 

 

From the bottom of my heart..............