Arancini (Sicilian stuffed rice balls)

Prepare these several hours before you plan to fry them since they need to be chilled after assembling. This makes 4 arancini. The authentic filling calls for chopped cooked chicken livers, but my family never liked them that way. Play around with fillings your family would enjoy!

Cook: 1 C. rice in 2 C. water w/1 Tblsp. olive oil & salt- until done. Set aside and cool off a bit.

While the rice is cooling make filling & then set it aside. In a small bowl combine:
1 Tblsp. ricotta (OR cream cheese - this is to bind the filling together)
2 Tblsp. grated pepperoni (OR sopressata OR cooked Italian sausage OR chopped chicken livers)
1 clove finely minced garlic
1/2 C. grated mozzarella
1/2 C. cooked peas (fresh or frozen)
Fresh ground pepper (be careful about adding salt- the pepperoni or meat tends to be salty enough)

Back to the cooled rice:
To the cooked rice, season with salt & pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese & 1 tblsp. minced basil.
Mix in 1 egg & stir ingredients together so that the rice holds together when lightly packed into your hands.
(Saffron is added to the rice often, so if you like the taste/appearance of saffron, add a small amount. Otherwise, leave it out - it won't affect the recipe, but gives the cooked rice a bright yellow color.)

Now it's time to assemble the arancini. Divide the rice in 4 parts. Divide the filling into 4 parts.

Take 1/4 of the rice and form it into a ball. Using your thumb or finger, make an indentation in the rice large enough to put 1/4 of the filling inside. Add the filling and then bring the rice up and around the filling, completely encasing it. Repeat this with the other 3 parts of rice & filling.

Get 2 small cereal bowls. Put the white of one egg in one bowl & mix lightly with a fork. In the other bowl, add 1 cup breadcrumbs (plain or seasoned; your call).

Take the rice balls one at a time, coat the entire ball with egg white and then coat it in breadcrumbs, making sure it's completely covered. Set the balls on a plate, cover with plastic wrap & chill in the 'fridge for at least an hour or 2.

FRYING the arancini:
Heat 2" of vegetable oil in a 2 qt. saucepan until hot enough to fry. TEST with a pc. of bread to make sure it's hot enough to use!! Carefully lower one arancini into the oil & gently turn it so that it cooks evenly all around - 4-5 minutes - until the outside of the arancini turns a lovely golden brown.
Remove the arancini to a rack to cool for a couple minutes before serving. They're delicious plain or with your favorite marinara sauce spooned next to them.

Autumn Risotto

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 cups arborio rice 1 cup dry white wine About 6 cups of HOT chicken stock

1 butternut squash: one half baked in the oven and then pureed; the other half, peeled, cut into small dice, and sauteed in a Tblsp. oil and a Tblsp. butter until tender

1/2 cup grated Parmesan 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

salt

freshly ground pepper

shaved parmesan (for garnish/topping)

Directions:

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring continuously, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir, using a wooden spoon, to coat the rice with the oil. Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover the rice completely, about 3 cups, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed. Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the pumpkin puree and the diced pumpkin and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Season with salt & fresh ground pepper. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. Spoon it immediately into heated shallow serving bowls & garnish the top with shaved parmesan.

Creamy rice pudding

In a large, heavy saucepan or small stockpot, add 7 cups milk (I use 2%), 1/4 tsp. salt and 1-1/2 cups standard long-grained (uncooked) white rice.

Over medium low heat, let milk heat (never to a simmer & especially not a boil!) slowly - stir rice occasionally until milk begins to cook the rice. This is a VERY SLOW procedure and takes around an hour or so. Continue to let the rice cook slowly, stirring often.

In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs plus 1 extra yolk with 1/2 cup white sugar.

When rice is cooked/tender, and milk has nearly evaporated - approximately one hour - (the mixture should be creamy and thick and not runny) - remove from heat and mix in the sugar/egg. Return the pot to a low heat and continue cooking and stirring for several minutes until eggs incorporate and cook thoroughly. Turn off heat and add a teasp. of vanilla extract.

At this point you can add (only if you want to) other ingredients. For this recipe I toasted 1-1/2 cups of broken up walnuts and another cup of dried cranberries - a Tblsp. of grated orange peel finished off this dessert! Any other fruits and/or nuts combination work well. The rice pudding is delicious served warm or chilled with some heavy cream or whipped cream spooned over the top!