So, my daughter’s mother-in-law helped me with a new recipe on Christmas day. They were SO GREAT, we’re serving them up again on New Year’s Eve. (Next week, I’m clearly doing a cleanse or something.)

Anywho! I thought YOU might want to try them, too! They’re that good.

Now, I don’t normally try new recipes out on Christmas day guests, but this simply had to happen. The locals where we first tired them in New York say they’re called arancini, but I can never spell that (or say it) right… and since this girl from Boring, Oregon can’t come up with anything better than “crispy, cheesy, rice balls,” that’s what I call them.

Not too creative, but it’s honest. I like to know what I’m getting into when I go to eat something.

Speaking of honesty, you can find recipes for arancini all over the Internet. I read this one from top to bottom and was glad he agreed with my sushi rice decision. We also did a little yummy twist on the mozzarella. We like our cheese to have a little more bite to it so we opted for mozzarella and brie. Also, I added a little bit of seasoned salt to the finished product. Either way is delicious—but when a girl needs a little salt—she needs a little salt. IYKNWIM.

So, allow me to take you straight to Cheese.Heaven: crunchy, cheesy, creamy.
You’re welcome.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer. In fact, the pictures in this post were taken with our iphones during the whole sticky affair—so if you’ll pardon the not-so-professional looking pictures, I’ve added a little picture ‘splanation for you, too!

Gather up:

4 cups rice, cooked and cooled (I use sushi rice… and I don’t eat sushi but trust me on this one.)
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 eggs
16 small cubes fresh mozzarella or brie or both. Mix them up. Hmm. (or Dubliner.) Yes. That too.
2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs (start with one cup and add more if you need it)

Oil, for frying
1 cup store-bought marinara (or, make your own.)
Seasoning salt

Here we go. Get ready to take a little ride on the sticky side.

{By the way: before we started, I put about three cups of vegetable oil in a small sauce pot and turned it up about 30%. You want it warm enough to heat up fast when you’re ready.}

Put the eggs, parmesan and cooked sushi rice into a bowl. Mix it with your hands. Smash it up good.

 

Here’s the tricky part: you need to put a glob of this sticky mixture in your hand and put a piece of your favorite cheese smack dab in the middle. Then, you’ll squeeze your hand shut and attempt to make a round ball out of it with the cheese still in the center.

After several failed attempts, we sprayed olive oil on my hands and also on the scoop that we were using to get the mixture out of the bowl.  MUCH, MUCH better. Your kids would love this, by the way. Squeeeeeeze these balls as tight as you can. They need to stay intact for the next part.

 

When you’re ready, take your rice balls and dredge them in an egg wash. (Just whip up two eggs and put them a bowl.) Cover the rice ball in egg and then, put it in a bowl of breadcrumbs. Cover it good. Place it back on the cookie sheet.

 

Now you’re ready to fry them.

Can we still say “fry?” Anyway.  This is not the healthiest recipe we ever made but it’s better than eating sugar cookies for three days straight. Ask me how I know that.

 

Drop ’em in there and let them cook until they are golden brown. Then, set them on some paper towels and let them cool.

Your kids are going to think you are a kitchen rock-star after this.

I salted mine with my favorite seasoning from Penzeys … Northwoods … but any all-purpose seasoned salt would be just fine. When I tried them, I liked them better salted.  Hey. You’ve already stuffed them with cheese and fried them. Why not go all the way?

Serve them with marinara sauce for dipping (I wimped out and just bought some.)

They’re better warm, but I confess to heating one up in the mircowave the next day. It was yummy.

Party on, Busy Mom! You’re the life of the party now!