Arancini di Riso-Sicilian Rice Balls

If you are familiar with the Arancini, which literally means, "little oranges" then you would know what this authentic, Sicilian, or Calabrian delicacy is. It is called Rice Balls. You can make it two ways, the first one which we all are familiar with are with a scoop of ground meat, w/sauce, and a cube of mozzarella cheese, and let's not forget the green peas. You can also make it vegetarian style, with just the mozzarella cheese in the middle, served over plain Marinara sauce. Either way, you've never tasted any Italian comfort food, which is usually served as a snack in the middle of the afternoon, or an appetizer, for a few, or a crowd that will disappear faster than pizza. I had the opportunity to learn about this yummy dish, firsthand when I lived in Sicily, and also visiting family in the recent years. Nowadays, as in the past, it is still a very popular tasty treat, made in every pizza place, or in cafes, and mostly it's a tradition to make on a Sunday afternoon.

There really isn't much difficulty in making the Arancini if you have all your ingredients organized, your meat, or plain sauce ready, and all you have to do is to just assemble them together, and ready to fry...yes, fry! and not bake. You will not be required to deep fry them, as long as you have a couple inches of fresh vegetable oil sizzling in a large heavy duty deep skillet, you will have the most crunchy, and delicious tasting Arancini, dipped into extra sauce, or just eat them just like the way I am holding a yummy piece!

Arancini-Sicilian Rice Balls
 my own recipe

2 cups of raw long grain rice
2 Tablespoons butter
4 eggs separated
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fined bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Cook rice until firm (not tender). Drain. Place rice in a large bowl. Add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper.Let it cool down for about 20 minutes. Add the egg yolks, and mix well. Spread out on a large platter and let it cool down in the fridge for about 30 minutes, up to an hour. Next, make your meatsauce, or Marinara sauce, according to your favorite recipe. For the meatsauce, use at least 1 lb. of ground lean beef. You will have plenty of extra meatsauce or plain sauce leftover, from a good batch of sauce.

This is basically how you form the rice balls.
The only problem was, that I didn't let the rice cool down enough, and probably added too much meatsauce.
The frozen peas do not have to bee boiled, just let them thaw out. I placed another portion of rice on top of this, and rolled it into a ball, then I dipped it in the remaining 4 egg whites, which has been mixed with about 1/4 cup water, and dipped it into the bread crumbs, rolling it into a ball, and frying it till it was nice, and golden brown.


Filling for the Arancini

Scoop out a good amount of the ground beef with a slotted spoon, into a separate bowl, and get your set up ready. You need about 1 cup frozen peas, thawed out at room temperature, and about 1 cup small cubed, or even shredded mozzarella will work. Put 1 heaping tablespoonful of rice in the palm of your hand. Flatten slightly, then place about 1 or 2 teaspoon of the meat filling, about 1 teaspoon of the peas, and a cube of the cheese. For the meatless version, do the same with the plain sauce, the cheese, and the peas, or you can just use the cheese, and omit the peas. Add another heaping tablespoon over the top, and enclose it packing the ingredients well to stay inside. Beat the remaining egg whites with 1/4 cup water till frothy, then roll the rice balls into the egg whites, and dip into the breadcrumbs, that has also been seasoned with salt, pepper, and Romano cheese. Fry in about half filled skillet, with vegetable oil, or in a deep fryer. until golden brown, Drain on absorbent paper towel, and serve over a bed of extra sauce, or by itself. Serve hot, or at room temperature. Makes about 12 to 16, depending the size you make. Oh, so delizioso...Mangia!

If you love Italian food, I promise you that you will want to have this ridiculously, and totally amazing Arancini to make. It really is worth the precious time, and effort!

Pizza...Awards...and PGA Mall

Last Friday...as almost every Friday, Lora made this amazing pizza dough that has become a staple meal, with a side salad, or a vegetable dish. In this case she had the green beans, and leftover pancetta, to add to the pizza topping...and oh, yes caramelized onion, and homemade sauce that she always has on hand for a quick pasta dish. I keep bugging her to post the pizza photos, but she not only does not take photos of it, I always end up taking the photos. Her pizza dough is the easiest and best, made with all, or half whole wheat flour, and half bread flour. Here's Lora's homemade pizza recipe, @cake duchess

Just look at this yummy goodness...Sweet caramelized onions, crispy pancetta homemade tomato sauce, and ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese topping the thin, crispy, crunchy fresh, hot, homemade pizza dough. Trust me on this one...no comparison to take-out!...now, for the lovely blue dish of  Lora's. Long story behind this set of 12 English china set, that was a gift to daughter's hubby, from a lovely English young lady that was a mutual friend to both Lora, and Fabrizio, that he brought into the marriage 10 years ago. They still manage to have most of the set, even if a plate or two breaks, lucky me...I find the same dishes at my thrift finds, but not cheap. Each plate costs $2.99. My daughter finally told me after I replaced 4 plates..."please mom, don't get any more, I'm trying to get rid of these, so I can get a new set"...

...and now, for the Awards!

I have not received such a lovely award as this, so far. This award came from my sweet friend, Mateja @Indulging Life. She actually designed this award herself, and personalized it. She really put her "heart and soul" into this. Do visit her beautiful blog, and make friends! I'm simply quoting what she said in her own words, when she completed the award, and what it meant to her. I am so honored by this...Thank you, Mateja!
This is what Mateja said:

February 1, 2011I think it is time for me to create my own appreciation award. And I was sitting and sweating, working hard on creating that perfect picture that would express exactly what I wanted to say, adding and removing, than adding some more. (ratatatata- drums) So here it is, "Most Deserved Award", the award for all my friends who make me feel like home, who spark the most beautiful memories from my childhood, inspire me, support me, introduce me to new foods, teach me new cooking/baking techniques, and challenge my imagination! 

These next 3 lovely awards, I received from a sweet couple,@ Anu Santanu who I recently befriended. They were ever so kind to honor me, not just with one award, but three! These come with rules, and I've been down the road before on the rules, from the previous ones. As far as promoting them to 15 bloggers, which I have done in the past, not just 15, but 30 or more at one time, and letting them all know...or not letting them know, some have not even responded even when I let them know...and some I left out, not on purposely...it's difficult to keep track on paying it forward.
Thank you, Satu Santanu, for giving me theses generous, and lovely awards!

I regret to break the rules, and just let everyone take for themselves. and pay it forward if you would like to do so, with my "blessings"...You all deserve the awards, All of you who are out there all over the world, in different countries, states, or even local ones! Blogging is "time consuming" but so well worth it to stay in touch with other bloggers who have similar interests, and making friends to me is so important in this fast moving world, with so much happening, and ever changing events that changes our lives...forever!

Rules to claim and share these awards:....(optional)

• Thank and Link the blogger who has given you the award.
• Copy and paste the Logo in your blog.
• Share 7 things about yourself.
• Nominate 15 other Great Bloggers
• Comment and let them know of the award.

Last amazing and unique award, I received from my dear friend, Toni, @Boulder Locavore. She is also a very talented blogger, and has such a lovely blog, so interesting and unique...you have got to check her blog out!
Thank you Toni, for giving me this lovely award, I appreciate your kindess!


Help yourselves to the awards...take one, or take them all, pay it forward, or just keep it for yourselves!

I would like to show of one of the most beautiful malls of all the malls I've seen. It's the Palm Beach Gardens Mall, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, about a 30 minutes drive from us. Lora and I went there last Friday morning to exchange her Valentine's necklace that she was allergic to...(funny, but not so funny)...here's this amazing little fun jewelry and gift shop that is totally affordable. Loved everything in there! Such a relaxing shopping mall, so beautiful, and they have everything there...not to mention, great sales!

Just look at the natural "sky light"...very efficient in saving electricity.

That's the store...SWAROVSKY...love it!

They have such fun things like these little crystal fishies, for only $86.00.

Crystal Butterflies...$110.00.

 Now, we're getting into the "bling"...a little more expensive, like this beautiful silver, or is it white gold bracelet?
for $475.00

Crystal beads...baubles, or little disco balls?...not exactly what I would hang in my living room, or on the car rear view mirror, but they're fun!

At last, have some early lunch, the Cafe at the Gardens Mall was really enjoyable, a lot of food courts to choose from. We had Chinese, which was pretty decent...somehow all the foods at these food courts, or cafes, as they call them leaves you reaching for the Pepto Bismol...the minute you get home, promising not to eat there, again!