Totally Blue & White, WS Inspired ~Italian Rice Balls & The Challenge

 

Good evening, Ladies!  In case you didn’t read my last post, I want to thank everyone who took part in the 6th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Blog Crawl!  I enjoyed my visit to the 81 entries!  You were great with your visits too!  Some got 50, all the way up to 90!  Anytime you want to know how many you get, just ask!

Thanks so much for those who left comments, only a few didn’t. I loved hearing from you and thanks to the spectators too!

Tonight I am going totally blue and white.

I had bought some of these last month, for 8, I had a 20 off coupon so they came down to 6.40  Alma and I stopped in at WS OUTLET last week, and there they were  in Clearance, they had been marked down more.

I bought 4 more for me, and a few as gifts.  They are such a pretty blue.  I decided to do a totally blue and white table.

The cloth is from Dansk and well used.  It is faded to a perfect shade for the napkins!

The charger from Ikea, the plates are from Horchow, as is the white flatware.

The covered Lion’s Head bowls are from WS Outlet as are the alabaster napkin rings. The white laced edge napkins are from Horchow.

I turned one of the soup bowls over and used a pitcher from Portugal , a gift from my dear cousin Jean, filled with fresh white mums.

The white butter domes are from Cmas Tree Shop, the blue stem from Le Dollar Tree, and the rippled tumblers are at least 60 yrs old, and were my mom’s.

A little pitcher and bowl from HG, and the birds from Pier 1.

Speaking of BIRDS, the April 9th Let’s Dish Table  Challenge is BIRDS, EGGS or NESTS.  If you accept the challenge, :0 , your table or vignettte has to include at least one of those elements. 

Are you up for it???

In honor of my Italian friends who are celebrating St. Joseph’s Day today, I wanted to make something I had seen Giada make and I have never tried.  Arancini or rice balls.  I know pastries are the traditional thing for St. Joe’s, but I am a rebel, lol!

I asked Barbara form 2 Birdies and a B, one of my favorite Italian Americans, how to do it.  She ,like me, is not a recipe gal, so she explained the method.  I looked up a few recipes  on the net.  You get the general idea, then add what you want.  That’s the fun of cooking, recipes are too confining!

Here’s one.

Barbara said to use only Carolina Rice.  Didn’t have it, so used what I had.  Cooked it and spread it out to chill and dry.

I added salt, pepper, garlic powder and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

I chopped 1/3 C of ham, you could use prosciutto, or even bacon.

Mixed that into the rice with 2 beaten eggs.

Cut mozzarella into small chunks.

Wet your hands and form a ball.  Stick a chunk of mozzarella into the middle and mold the rice around it.

Dip it in egg wash, then Panko.

Fry till nicely browned.  Drain on paper towel.  Serve with Marinara.

Grate some fresh parmesan on the top.

When you cut it open, the cheese will ooze out.

The verdict????  This Irish American had a hard time with them.  I found it easier to use a small cookie scoop, stuff the cheese in, then mold some more rice around it.

The ones I have seen served in Restaurants were much bigger, maybe that is easier.  I wanted them to be small and dainty, lol.

Dh tried them, said they were good.  I think I would jazz them up , if there is a next time. 

Happy St. Joseph’s Day!  ( You know, I have non Catholic friends who buried his statue near their house when they were trying to sell it, so he is very ecumenical!)

Mangia!

Thanks so much for visiting me! 

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday

Share Your Cup at Jann’s

Diann  and Linda for Thrifty Things Fri.

Gollum for Foodie Friday

 

Let’s Dish will be monthly for now, so the next one is April 9th.  I will still be posting in between though, as the spirit moves me!