Arancini Rice Balls

I recently made this at a dinner party as a side dish for a pasta dish and it seemed to add just enough of a crunch to both contrast and compliment the pasta dish at the same time. 

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic

2 Cups Arborio Rice

1 Qt chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay)

1/2 lb shredded fontina cheese

3 Tbsp light butter

Vegetable / Canola oil for deep frying

* Olive Oil

* Salt

* Black pepper

Stuffing Mix

3 parts - Progresso Italian Style breadcrumbs

1 part - Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Oregano - minced

Fresh Parsley - minced
Garlic Powder

Olive Oil (amount will vary based on quantity, we are looking for a specific texture)

Rice ball coating mix

Progresso Italian Style Breadcrumbs

4C seasoned panko breadcrumbs

1 Pint Eggbeaters (original)

Tools:

Instant Pot

6 - 8 qt stock pot

Wire basket

Preparation: 

Rice Filling: 

Set the Instant pot to saute for 7 minutes with some olive oil and the minced garlic cloves with salt and pepper until fragrant. After about 5 minutes, add the wine and mix up the bits of garlic. Add the arborio rice, butter, and the chicken broth. Close up the instant pot and pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. Quick release when done and immediately mix in Fontina cheese. Set aside and allow to cool. 

Stuffing Mix:

In a bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, oregano, parsley and garlic powder. Stir in olive oil until the mixture has the consistency of wet beach sand (should hold its shape when formed)

Coating Mix:

In a 1 qt chinese food soup container (or equivalent) mix together the italian style and panko breadcrumbs. Cover and shake to incorporate together. 

Rice Balls:

In a bowl mix the cooked rice, stuffing, and some egg beater mix to incorporate it well. It does not have to match the rice 1:1 but it should be enough that its visible throughout. Using a teaspoon, scoop off some of the mixture and roll like a meatball into a ball anywhere between 1.25 and 2" in diameter. Place into the breadcrumb container and shake until coated thoroughly. 

Cooking:

Heat enough oil in a large stock pot to 370 - 380 degrees and drop in rice balls for between 30 - 60 seconds until each is golden brown. Set aside on a cooling rack to drip dry of any extra oil.  

Polish-Mexican Fusion: Kielbasa with Pinto Beans and Brown Rice

Ingredients: 
Homemade Vegetable Broth
1 Link Hillshire Farm Polska Kielbasa
122 g Pinto Beans drained
1/4 Cup Brown Rice (Carolina Brown Rice)
1 Clove Garlic

Olive Oil* 
Black Pepper* 


Preparation: 
Mince or press garlic into small pieces (1/8" or less). Spray medium saucepan with a light coating of olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Add garlic to pot, season with pepper lightly and add rice toasting.  Add in 2 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil covered. 

Slice Kielbasa link into 1/4" slices and drain beans.  Once mixture has boiled for about 20 minutes, add beans stirring occasionally to ensure they do not stick to the bottom of the pot. After approximately 20 minutes lift cover to reduce and add Kielbasa stirring well. Reduce until there is as much or as little broth as you like. 

Serving: 
Serve in a bowl. 

Nutritional Information: 
This is about 11 Weight Watchers points plus points using the above ingredients. 

Stuffed Cabbages in the Slow Cooker

This is a variation of the traditional stuffed cabbages (gulumpkies) that increases the health value and can be done in a relatively quick amount of time in a crock pot. 

Ingredients: 
1 Medium/Large Cabbage
3 Cans of Tomato Soup
1/2 lb Ground Pork 
112 grams of Soy Crumbles
1 cup of brown rice
Garlic Powder*
Onion Powder or Flakes*
Kosher Salt* 
Black Pepper* 

Preparation:
Place cabbage in a large pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil covered for about 5 - 7 minutes. In a bowl mix together pork, soy crumbles, rice and seasonings. Mix through until well incorporated. 

Remove core from cabbage and start peeling leaves off. Using a paring knife, remove the spine of the leaf and place an elongated handful of the meat mixture inside the leaf.  Roll by folding the sides over and rolling up into a cylindrical package. 

Layer in the crockpot side by side and on top if need be. Cover with 3 cans of soup and 2 cans of water. 

Cook for 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low. 

Nutrition Info: 
Typical serving is about 3 and this scores about 8 Weight Watchers points plus points.