Italian Rice Balls (Arancini)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked white rice, cooled (sticky rice is best)

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

• 2 eggs

• 8 small cubes fresh mozzarella

• 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

• Vegtable oil, for frying

• 1 cup marinara sauce

Instructions

Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.

Form each rice ball by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it very firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 rice balls.

Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs. Dip each rice ball in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, shake off any excess.

Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to cover half of the rice balls.

Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 2 or 3 of the rice balls to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried rice ball from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat the frying process with the remaining rice balls.

Serve the rice balls warm topped with a side of warm marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. Serve with additional marinara on the side.

Enjoy!

Rainbow Cake 🌈

My baby boy finished school so I surprised him with a rainbow cake… and a trip to the toy store. 😊

Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 1/2cups all purpose flour

3 eggs

1 lemon, zested

3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces vanilla yogurt

12 ounces of fresh strawberries, diced

1 cup powdered sugar

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sift together the flour baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.

With an electric or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 Tb. lemon juice. Alternate adding in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.

Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. (This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom.) Gently mix them into the batter.

Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled whisk together the remaining 2 Tb. of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients

1 box of Devils Food Cake mix

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Powdered sugar (for rolling)

Heat oven to 350°F. Mix dry cake mix, oil, eggs and vanilla with until dough forms.

Refrigerate dough 30-60 minutes. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes. Cool 1 minute and move to cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Fried Chicken

Ingredients

·       4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 -1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on your heat preferences)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

·       2 tablespoons garlic salt

·       1 tablespoon paprika

·       3 teaspoons pepper, divided

·       2 large eggs

·       1-1/2 cups water

·       1 teaspoon salt

·       1 broiler/fryer chickens (3 to 4 pounds each), cut up

·       Canola oil for frying

Directions

Before you start let meat rest for 30 minutes, if you fry straight out of the refrigerator the oil temperature will drop once the cold chicken is added.

In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine 2 cups flour, garlic salt, paprika, 2 teaspoons pepper. In a bowl, beat eggs and water; add salt and the remaining flour and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then place in the bag, a couple of pieces at a time. Seal bag and shake to coat.

·ln a deep heavy bottomed pan or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry chicken, 3 pieces at a time, for 5-6 minutes on each side or until golden brown and juices run clear. Drain on paper towels.the oil’s temperature using a fryer or candy thermometer.

When the chicken has finished cooking, transfer let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Fried Calamari

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds cleaned calamari

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Canola oil, for frying

1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

Place calamari in bowl with buttermilk, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Pour 2 inches of the canola oil into a large pot. Heat over high heat until the oil reaches 400°F on a thermometer. Mix the pepper into the flour. Remove a handful of the calamari from the buttermilk and place it in the flour and toss to coat. Carefully place the calamari in the oil and fry until light golden brown, about 1 minute.

Repeat the process with the remaining calamari. Serve with lemon wedges.

Enjoy!