Egg Free Cheesy Rice Balls

When I have a surprise sitter (mom drops by and asks if I’d like her to watch the boys for a while). I usually go to the library. Exciting I know.

Actually I love the library. The only problem with it is that it is about a half an hour drive, and I have twin toddlers. After that 30 minute ride, they are ready to tear things up! So spending any time in the quiet grown-up section of the library with the boys is completely out of the question.

So what did I find? Allergy cookbooks. (Even more exciting, I know.)

Today’s recipe is adapted from Allergy Proof Recipes for Kids by Leslie Hammond and Lynne Marie Rominger. Since an egg allergy is the only allergy I have to adapt for, I added cheese.

Here’s the recipe:

Cheesy Rice Balls

• 2 cups cooked rice (recipe calls for Arborio, I used white)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• Salt and Pepper
• Optional- 1 Tablespoon of spices (I think Italian spices would be good)
• 2 Mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese), cut each stick into 8 pieces
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon corn starch (or could use tapioca or arrowroot)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs

Mix hot cooked rice, pumpkin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Let cool.

Form into golf ball sized balls. Push your thumb into the center to make a little hole. Stick a piece of cheese in there. Push the rice mixture back around the cheese.

In a bowl, whisk together the water, corn starch, and 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil. Set aside. Pour bread crumbs into a shallow bowl. Dip each ball into the starch mixture, then roll in the bread crumbs. Make sure you coat those little guys good.

Put rice balls on foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. You want the outside to be crispy. Serve warm, with preferred dipping sauce, we preferred pizza sauce.

*After making these, I strongly suggest adding some spice. They taste a little bland without.

*Actual recipe fried these in oil. I wanted to try baking them. Either way works.

*I only baked half, and froze the rest for a future meal. They freeze well. Just pull from freezer and put in the oven (does take longer to cook).

What would you do if you had a surprise sitter?