Crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside, these fried Parmesan Arancini with Garlic and Parsley are a family favorite. My mother-in-law makes them for every holiday and special family dinner, usually frying dozens of them, and serving them as a “light” appetizer before a huge meal.

At my husband’s request, I asked her for her famous rice ball recipe, and now they are a favorite treat at our house, too. I, however, do not consider them an appetizer, but more of a meatless main course, that goes great with a big salad.

Although these arancini use risotto rice, you do not have to constantly stir it, like you must always stir risotto. Dipping the rice balls into the flour and water batter helps the rice balls hold together, but also keeps the rice from getting too crispy. It can be a bit messy, but using wet hands helps a little to keep the rice from sticking to your fingers.

The frying of the arancini is also quite simple, as long as you use the deep frying thermometer, and make sure you only fry when the oil is 350 degrees. These are great heated up the next day, especially in the usually useless, in my opinion, air fryer.

Parmesan Arancini with Garlic and Parsley

Crispy risotto balls filled with Parmesan cheese, garlic, and parsley

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Resting Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Equipment

• deep frying thermometer

Ingredients

  

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• 1½ cups arborio rice
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1½ cups Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 4 cups vegetable oil

Instructions

 

• In a Dutch oven, bring 3 cups of water, the salt, and the butter to a boil. Add the rice and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Stir the eggs, cheese, parsley, and garlic into the rice. Spread the rice onto a large baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl mix together the flour with a cup of water, and whisk it until the lumps are gone. Fill a second bowl with the breadcrumbs.
• Form the rice into balls about the size of a clementine. Pick up one ball at a time and rub it all over with some of the flour and water mixture, and then roll it in the breadcrumbs until it is completely coated.
• In a Dutch oven, or large pot, heat one inch of oil to 350°. Fry 4 balls at a time, turning them once in the oil, until they are golden brown. It takes about 5 minutes, and then you can drain them on a wire rack. Make sure the oil heats up to 350° before you fry each batch.
• Serve plain or with marinara sauce.

Keyword arancini

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French Toast is such a classic American breakfast recipe. But, I have to admit, I find regular white bread dipped in egg French toast more than a little boring. This Crunchy Cereal French Toast with Fresh Berries, however, is a crispy, crunchy, eggy sweet delight.

Excellent French toast, starts with great bread, and challah is my bread of choice for most French toast. I like to make my own challah in my bread machine, but good bakery challah is a fine substitute for homemade. I try to slice my bread about an inch thick, and then I dip it in eggs and heavy cream, but you can certainly use milk instead. Next, I crush slightly sweet honeyed cornflakes, and dip the egged bread in that. You could of course use plain cornflakes. After that, I fry the challah in lots of butter and then top everything with fresh berries.

Crunchy Cereal French Toast with Fresh Berries

Cinnamon French Toast encrusted with crispy corn flakes and topped with sweet berries.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 eggs
• 4 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 cups honeyed corn flakes, crushed
• 8 slices of Bread Machine challah (see previous recipe)
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 2 cups raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries

Instructions

 

• Beat the eggs with the cream and cinnamon, in one bowl. In the second bowl place the crushed cornflakes.
• In a non-stick skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter on medium heat. Dip two slices of bread in eggs, briefly. You shouldn't soak the bread in the egg. Then dip the bread in the cornflakes, making sure both sides are well crusted. Fry the bread on each side, until golden.

  Repeat with rest of bread, using more butter as needed.
• Top with berries and serve.

Keyword French Toast

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Now that the weather is finally starting to warm up here in the Hudson Valley, I’m really craving light, summery sandwiches. This Vietnamese Chicken Sandwich, filled with carrots and cucumbers in a spicy lime dressing, and topped with a creamy sriracha mayonnaise, is perfect for lunch or dinner on a sunny late spring day. It’s substantial enough to be a meal, but still light enough not to weigh you down on a hot day.

I really like Vietnamese food, but sadly we have no Vietnamese restaurants nearby, so I’ve really been enjoying making things at home, like this sandwich.

This is also a great make ahead recipe, because you can poach the chicken, pickle the vegetables, and make the mayonnaise mixture early in the day or even the night before.

Vietnamese Chicken and Pickled Vegetable Sandwich with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Tender chicken drizzled with a rich sriracha mayonnaise and crispy pickled vegetables.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vietnamese

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 radish, thinly sliced
• 1 cup peeled and thinly sliced cucumber
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. chopped mint
• ½ cup lime juice
• 1 tsp. fish sauce
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. sriracha
• ½ tsp. sugar
• 4 club rolls
• 2 tbsp. butter

Instructions

 

• Place the chicken breasts in a 3 quart saucepan and cover with 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the pot to a boil and then cover pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chicken until fully cooked, about 25 minutes. Thinly slice the chicken and set aside.
• Prepare the sriracha mayonnaise by stirring together the mayonnaise, sriracha, and sugar.
• Prepare the pickled vegetables, by mixing together the lime juice, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Add the carrots, radish, cucumber, red onion, and mint.
• Melt the butter in the skillet, and brown the insides of the rolls.
• To assemble the rolls: spread them with the sriracha mayonnaise, and cover with layers of chicken and pickled vegetables. Sprinkle some cilantro on each sandwich and serve.

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