Friday: Cheesy Rice & Bacon Fritters with Roasted Nutmeg Cauliflower

Here's a super easy way to use leftover rice. Make them into fritters! Add a spinach salad and roasted cauliflower. Voila...Dinner is served! Does a family member not like cauliflower? Try this recipe...the nutmeg really compliments this vegetable well and I've gotten good results from former picky cauliflower eaters. 

Cheesy Bacon & Rice Fritters Recipe


2 1/2 cups of cooked rice 
3 sliced of bacon, chopped (see change it up for options)
1 cup shredded monterrey jack cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1/2-3/4 cup breadcrumbs or put 1 slice of bread in a food processor and chop till crumbly, divided
1/8-1/4 cup olive oil


1. Mix rice through salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. 

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With your hands, take a small ball of rice mixture, roll in the breadcrumbs, place on prepared baking sheet and flatten into 3 inch patties. You will get approximately 12 patties out of rice mixture. They will be super crumbly, so be gentle with them.

3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. With a metal spatula, add patties to skillet carefully. Cook about 3 minutes on each side until they are crisp and have browned. Drain on paper towels.

Roasted Nutmeg Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces

2 TB olive oil
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place cauliflower in a baking dish, toss with the oil. Sprinkle nutmeg and salt over them.
3. Cover with foil and roast for 15-20 minutes
4. Uncover, stir and cook for another 15-20 minutes or longer, until the cauliflower is tender and nicely browned.

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Who likes to change it up?

~Try a mozzarella cheese instead of monterrey jack.
~Replace regular bacon with turkey bacon. 
~Add fresh herbs to patties.
~Chop fresh parsley and add to patties.
~You can make this into a vegetarian meal-just skip the bacon.