Risotto

We had some friends over this weekend and needed to throw some dinner together. My sushi husband always has loads of rice around, so we threw this wonderful risotto together. Ryan is the risotto man around here, and I like it that way because I get bored. Bored of standing over the steamy stove stirring.


So if you like to stir. Risotto is for you. It is so creamy and worth it every time though.

Risotto:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 - 15 oz can of artichoke hearts, chopped

2 cup short grain rice, arborio is best, we use sushi rice

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup frozen peas

In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and add the onion and artichoke hearts. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to become translucent. Add the arborio rice and stir well, to coat the rice well with the olive oil. Add one cup of the broth. Stir occasionally until the broth has been absorbed by the rice, which takes about 3-4 minutes. Keep adding broth in 1 cup increments until the rice is cooked (taste it if you are not sure!).When the rice is cooked, add the pepper, milk, cheese and peas. Stir well. Serve.

Spinache Salad

My sister sent me a recipe for spinache salad that had a long list of stuff to put in a spinache salad along with some dressing. We picked out favorites and I made a few alterations to the dressing and we don't have it in us to switch it up. You can put whatever you want, and it would be good...as long as you don't forget the bacon. Yup, you heard me, bacon is a MUST. Don't try to skip it or you'll be real sorry.

Spinache Salad:

1 bag spinache, rinsed and dried
1/2 craisens
2 green apples, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 lb bacon, diced
1 1/2 cup sweet and spicy pecans

Mix all ingredients and top with dressing.

Sweet and Spicy Pecans:

3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon generous fresh cracked pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325°F Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine corn syrup and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Stir to blend. Add pecans; stir gently to coat. Transfer to baking sheet. Place large piece of foil on work surface. Using fork, stir pecans to coat with melted spice mixture. Bake until pecans are golden and coating bubbles, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to foil. Working quickly, separate nuts with fork. Cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead- store airtight at room temperature).

Art City Salad Dressing:

1/3 cup oil (vegetable or olive)
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Raspberry jam (more to taste)
1 Tbsp. Poppy seeds

Blend ingredients in a blender
If you are sick of the same darn salad try mixen it up, here are some suggested courtesy of my sister:
Spinach, Baby Spinach, Green Leafy Lettuce or Greens Craisons
Grated Cheese-Swiss, Parmesan
Sunflower Seeds, Sesame seeds, Sliced Almonds, Cashews, pecans etc.
Mushrooms, avocado, grape tomatoes Mandarin Oranges, pears, strawberries, seedless grapes, mangos
Bacon Purple onion, green onion, minced sweet onion ChickenPick Ingredients, Chop, Mix, Serve

Applesauce

I have never been so happy to round the corner into fall. Summer just flew by, but down here in the south, the heat gets old, fast. Plus, fall brings apples. Lots of them. Cheap ones. Yummy ones. Too bad I don't have any neighbors that I can steel an apple from every time I walk by their house. I must admit, I did this daily as a kid. What? I was skinny. I needed a snack on my walk home from school.
This stuff is so easy and everyone loves it. Yes, everyone. At least around this place. My hubby, my baby, my friends, and their babies too. (I bet the dog would, if I had one.
If you are one of those moms who does baby food homemade, give this a try, just skip the sugar. You can freeze it, or even can it if you are motivated like Cherish.

Easy Applesauce:

one bag of apples, size is not too important

one handful or two of brown sugar

1-2 cinnamon sticks

2-4 T water

1 T lemon juice

Peel, core and slice your apples. Immediately rub with the lemon juice. Throw them in the crock pot with the sugar, water and cinnamon sticks. After about three hours on high, they should be very fork tender. Remove cinnamon stick. Do not miss any. Throw them in the blender, but do not fill over half when hot. I like mine smooth but with a few little chunks, you can make yours smooth, just don't blend too long. It gets a weird texture.

Simply Roasted

So, let me tell you a secret. I am a vegetable freak. I love the things. They are yummy. Plus they are so darn good for me, I can't help but count to make sure I get at least my three every day. Yes, I really count, every day!

I must admit I get so sick of steamed vegetables though. (Jacob, thinks peas and corn are candy though so he doesn't mind.) So, I have to be selfish some days and heat the house up by roasting my 3 a day in the oven.

Today I had zuchini on hand, so here's what you do. (Oh I added some parmesan on these after I made them.)

Roasted:

1 lb veggies, sliced semi small

1 T olive oil

1/2 tsp salt and pepper

Prehead the oven to 450. Toss your cut vegetables in the oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the pan and bake for about 20 minutes. (Depending on the vegetable it may be longer or shorter.)

Snackin'

Man oh man are these babies good. Can you believe how expensive pita chips are? I must admit, I consume by the bag when I visit my mother in law, shh don't tell. However, my food budget, just doesn't have room for these chips with all the butter and chocolate I buy. (You can get pitas for just over a dollar at the grocery store and it makes more than double the ounces of a three dollar bag.)

My friend showed me the recipe for them she likes, so, I played with it and got this. These have a pretty good garlic herb flavor. Not too strong, just enough to compliment the white bean dip with red peppers I made.
If you like sweets, toss them with a little light olive oil and some cinnamon sugar. MMMM I'm wishing I had some pita bread right about now.

Pita Chips:

6 pita bread pockets, I use whole wheat
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, parsley and/or oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Cut each pita bread into 8 triangles, then rip in half. Place triangles on lined cookie sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, pepper, salt, basil and chervil. Toss chips in and toss it with your hand. The chips may brake up a little, but that is okay. Just be gentle.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, tossing once half way through.

By Request...The White Bean Dip:

I adapted this recipe from Giada

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves, dry is okay
pepper
1 roasted red pepper diced into tini pieces

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add red pepper and mix. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

Panzanella

Until now, I had never even tried this dish, but I am not hooked. Panzanella is a a vegetable and bread salad. This particular one is made with leftover ciabata bread I had. I toasted it up and can now say I like crutons. Not the kind from the grocery store though, just the homemade ones.

So even if you have declared in the pasts to be a crouton hater like me, try this panzanella recipe I've thrown together, you just might change your mind.(served with an herbed chicken)


The red onion in this thing gives it a good spice, then the balsamic vinegar makes it sweet. The perfect combination in my opinion.( I chose to toast the bread crumbs over the stove, but it can also be done in the oven.)

(The salad before I added the bread.)

Panzanella:

2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper in one inch squares, optional
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ tsp dried basil
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6-8 slices thick country bread, torn into bite-size pieces

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, garlic and basil. Drizzle with the 3 Tablespoons olive oil and the 3 tblsps vinegar and basil, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Toss bread with 3 Tbs oil and salt and toast for about ten minutes until crunchy. Mix with vegetables and serve immediately.

Mix it up:

Try adding some fresh basil, or using whole wheat bread. If you love yellow tomatoes, add those, it would be pretty.