Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole

Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole

Gina's Skinny RecipesServings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Old Points: 8 pts • Points+: 9 ptsCalories: 367.2 • Fat: 9.5 g • Carb: 46.8 g • Fiber: 2.0 g • Protein: 20.9 g

2 cups uncooked long grain rice
4 cups water
1 (2.5 oz) sweet Italian sausage link, casing removed
10 oz (.65 lbs) 93% lean ground turkey (1/2 package)
1/4 cup onion, minced
salt and fresh pepper
5 oz frozen peas
16 oz homemade tomato sauce
1/3 cup egg beaters or egg whites
1/2 cup pecorino romano
cooking spray
4 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs, divided
1 1/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

Cook rice in water according to package directions. Set aside to cool.Meanwhile, sauté sausage meat; cook until brown breaking up into pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add turkey and onions and cook until browned, breaking up as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add peas and 8 oz tomato sauce and simmer on low, covered, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl combine rice, pecorino romano, eggs, and 3-4 oz tomato sauce and mix well. Rice should be a bit sticky.Spray a 9 x 12 casserole dish with cooking spray, making sure to spray sides too. Add 2 tbsp breadcrumbs to the dish and roll around to coat the bottom and sides.

Take half of the rice mixture (a little more if needed) and cover the bottom of the dish and up the sides; press to form the bottom layer.

Add the meat and peas. Sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Top with remaining rice and press until even. Top with remaining 4 oz of sauce, remaining 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, and remaining mozzarella.

Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes. Cut into 8 pieces.

Official Thai Fried Rice

From our cooking class in Thailand. I'm leaving it written just as our cooks did because it makes me laugh.


Fried Rice

1 cup Jasmine rice (cold)
20 grams chicken
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 Tbs. soya sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 Tbs. each of onion, tomato, spring (green) onion, diced small

Add vegetable oil to skillet on medium heat. Add garlic chopped to fry enough. Add chicken, fry enough. Add egg and stir fried until cooked. Add jasmine rice, onion, tomato, green onion, salt and soy sauce, stir fried together.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Rice

I'm making this with the hope that my dear friend will see it, get really hungry and want to drive all the way from San Antonio to have some and then stay long enough to help paint my kitchen!

Let me start by saying that I am not a Cafe Rio fan. I don't dislike it but, there is something ingrained in me to have a little attitude towards anything that evolves in Utah. I have eaten there twice and let me just say, it is no Pappasitos! But, I have friends that rave about it so, I've given it a try. I actually tried this a few months ago for my good friend in San Antonio who loves Cafe Rio. I followed the recipe from My Sister's Cafe the first time. This time I'm trying the recipes from The Girl Who Ate Everything. While I can't really compare it because I've only eaten at Cafe Rio a couple of times, I thought TGWAE was a little better and I'm hearing that it is closer to the real thing. This rice was phenomenal. Of course, I absolutely love rice and could eat it every day. The only thing I would do different would be to double it. I didn't think it made quite enough.

Café Rio Lime Cilantro Rice

2 Tb. Butter
pepper to taste
1 ¼ rice
juice and zest 1 large or 2 small limes
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
2 Tb. chopped cilantro
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cumin

In a skillet melt butter with rice, add liquid, and other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes. (I threw everything in my rice cooker and cooked it that way).

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is one of my children's favorite meals. I had this at a party that York and I went to years ago, before the children even came to be. I've been making it for years and I'm sure it is a pretty well known recipe. I made this for Darby's 14th birthday Luau party.

Hawaiian Haystacks

1 Chicken

4 Tbs. margarine

6 Tbs. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

salt & pepper

rice

Boil chicken until it's falling off bones. Debone (I just use chicken breasts, deboning chicken is gross). Save 1 1/2 cup chicken broth, set aside.

In separate pot, melt margarine. Using wire whisk, whisk in flour until flour and margarine make a paste. Whisk in milk slowly, then whisk in broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. When gravy gets a little thick tear chicken into small pieces and add to gravy.

Serve over rice and top with toppings: crushed pineapple, chow mein noodles, grated cheese, coconut, diced celery, green onions and chives.

I have all of the toppings in separate dishes and people can pick and choose which toppings they want.