Aunt Claras Rice Balls Recipes

RICE BALLS A LA TIM

Steps:

• Bring the rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the garlic until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir the meat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks, until browned and the meat is no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
• Place hot cooked rice, ground beef, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup of pasta sauce in a bowl, and mix thoroughly together. Mix in the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese until mozzarella cheese melts. Scoop up handfuls of rice mixture, and gently form into 2 1/2-inch balls. Place balls on a baking sheet, and refrigerate until cool and firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove the rice balls from the refrigerator, and roll each in beaten egg and then bread crumbs to thoroughly coat. Return to baking sheet, and bake until the outside of the rice balls is crispy, about 25 minutes. Heat 1 1/2 cups of pasta sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, and cover rice balls with heated sauce to serve.

AUNT CLARA'S FILLED MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Toss raisins and 1 teaspoon flour together in a saucepan until raisins are coated in flour. Stir 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and lemon juice into raisins. Pour 1 cup boiling water over raisin mixture; bring mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until raisins start to break down and mixture thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Stir 2 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
• Whisk melted shortening and molasses together in another bowl; stir in remaining vanilla extract. Dissolve baking soda in 1/3 cup boiling water. Stir soda water into molasses mixture until mixture foams and is well-combined. Stir flour mixture and molasses mixture together in a large bowl until a stiff dough forms.
• Divide dough into 2 balls; 1 dough ball for the bottom cookie rounds and 1 ball for the top cookie rounds. Cover 1 dough ball with a damp paper towel; roll remaining dough ball out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into rounds using the top of a glass or a round cookie cutter. Place these bottom rounds 2-inches apart on a baking sheet. Top each dough round with 1 tablespoon of raisin filling mixture.
• Roll out remaining dough ball to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into rounds using the same cutter. Moisten fingers slightly with water and carefully work each top round from the center outwards until each is about 1/4-inch larger around than the bottom round. Working from one edge, place top round over bottom round and filling, pressing firmly to seal the cookie. Lightly press down tops of cookies to settle filling in the pocket.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookie is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

SAL'S RICE BALLS (ARANCINI)

Steps:

• For the filling: Crush the tomatoes with an immersion blender.
• In a 4-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 3 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook until tender. Add the beef and pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned. Add the crushed tomatoes, increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the salt and pepper, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes. Add the peas and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and spread on a baking sheet to cool.
• For the rice: In a 6-quart pot, bring the chicken stock, butter, salt and saffron to a boil. Add the rice and simmer, uncovered, stirring 2 or 3 times, until tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the grated pecorino and black pepper. Stir to mix well. Spread on a baking sheet to cool.
• For the breading: In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, pecorino, salt and pepper.
• For assembly: Place the eggs in a shallow bowl and the flour in another shallow bowl. Scoop some rice into 1 hand to make a half a ball. Add 1 teaspoon of the meat filling and 1 teaspoon of the shredded mozzarella. Add more rice on top to form into a ball. Dredge the rice ball in the flour, then the beaten egg and then in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Repeat and assemble more balls with the remaining rice, filling and breading.
• Heat the oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Fry the rice balls, in batches if necessary, until golden, about 3 minutes.

RICE KRISPIES DATE BALLS (AKA ANGEL COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt butter.
• Add dates and granulated sugar and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until blended.
• Add cereal and coconut, stirring to combine.
• Remove from heat and let cool until you can handle the mixture without burning your fingers.
• Form into 1" sized balls with greased hands, then roll each into powdered sugar to coat.

AUNT CLARA'S RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Mix cold sticky rice with 1 egg beaten, parsley, parmesan, mozzarella, salt and pepper.
• Use Ice cream scoop to scoop up a rice ball.
• Hand roll ball; roll in flour; dip in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs.
• Heat 1" cooking oil in pan on stovetop over Medium-high heat and brown until golden.
• Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
• Leftovers do well in microwave.