Risotto with Peas

Autumn and winter spells warm comfort foods.

Risotto is perhaps one of my favorite comfort foods.  It is also a basic recipe that you can embellish with any of your other favorite foods.

Use this basic recipe and add sundried tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, or any other delicious addition.  This time I’m adding peas.

Ingredients

(makes 4 servings)

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup Arborio Italian Rice, uncooked

1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)

2 cups chicken broth, heated

1/3 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1 cup cooked frozen peas (optional)

 

Preparation

Melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in rice, cook 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Add wine, cook and stir until absorbed.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot broth.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cook until most of the broth is absorbed, stirring constantly. Repeat process until all of the broth has been added.  (Rice should be tender but firm.) If necessary add a small amount of additional broth or water and continue to cook until rice is done.

Add cheese, stir until blended .  Sprinkle with parsley.  Add cooked peas.  Serve immediately.

 

 

Enjoy !

 

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I’m lucky enough to have wonderful friends who garden! More free zucchini!! Yum.

Here’s another terrific zucchini recipe you can use as a side dish or a meal.

Because the zucchini I was given was on the large side, I have used a 12” for this but you can use several smaller ones. 

Ingredients

1 large 12” unpeeled zucchini or 4 or 5 smaller ones

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium sized onion chopped

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 pound ground white veal

1- 1/2 cups pureed tomatoes (you can use crushed)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup finely grated romano (or parmesan) cheese

mozzarella cheese for sprinkling on top

 

Preparation

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out middle and all seeds.  Discard. Use a pastry brush to brush the zucchini inside and out with olive oil.  Put in baking dish, set aside.

In skillet, add olive oil, chopped onion and crushed garlic.  Sauté until the onion is transparent.

Add the ground white veal and sauté until meat is cooked.  When veal is cooked add the pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili flakes and oregano.  Cook for about 10  minutes on medium heat.

Turn off heat and mix in the romano or parmesan cheese. 

Spoon into your prepared, oiled zucchini boats. Sprinkle more grated romano cheese on top and then top with some grated mozzarella.

 

No need to put anything in your baking dish as the zucchini will produce its own water as it cooks.  The oiled backs will keep it from sticking. Cover with foil.

Bake in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees.

Baking time will depend on the size of your zucchini.  If you are doing a large one like me, I recommend 40 minutes covered and another 10 minutes uncovered.

If you are using smaller zucchini’s, bake covered for about 25-30 minutes, then uncover and bake about 5 –10 minutes longer.  A fork or knife should be able to go through the thickest part of the zucchini with ease when cooked.

Bon Appétit

Broccoli Cheddar and Mushroom Quiche

I love quiche.  For some reason I forgot that.  I should really make it more often.  Quiche recipes are endless. After all, what CAN’T you mix with eggs?   

This recipe is fast and easy.  It’s so easy in fact, that I’ll even tell you to go out and buy a ready made pie crust!   So let’s move on…

Ingredients

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup  chopped onions

1 cup chopped broccoli

5 eggs

1/3 cup  MIRACLE WHIP Dressing

1/3 cup milk

1 cup  Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 frozen deep-dish pie crust (9 inch) (see? fast and easy!)

Preparation:

 

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Place vegetables in skillet sprayed with cooking spray; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

BEAT eggs, dressing and milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in vegetable mixture and cheese; pour into pie shell. Place pie shell on baking sheet.

BAKE on baking sheet 40 to 45 min. or until center of quiche is set and top is golden brown. Let stand 10 min. before cutting into slices to serve.

 

So here’s the lowdown on the absence of more delicious pictures.  I made this for company and it got eaten before I could take that delicious dish picture!

Remember…. fast and easy!

Enjoy !

Rice Balls

Rice balls are fabulous as a side dish or as an entree.  They certainly go over big in my household!  For this recipe I use sticky rice.  Not minute rice, arborio rice, or sushi rice… sticky rice.  You shouldn’t have a problem finding it.  You’ll prepare it the way the package indicates.  Make sure you rinse the rice before cooking it.  I’m going to give you a basic recipe here.  Keep in mind you may add anything you like to the center of the rice balls; corn, peas, meat, sausage meat, there are no limits.  I have to make mine plain, because I have a ‘plain’ child, that likes ‘plain’ food, (she’s getting better though).

14 Rice Balls


Ingredients:

2 cups sticky rice

3-1/2 cups water (prepare as directed on package)

2 cups breadcrumbs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese

1 egg

3 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

1/2 Mozzarella cheese ball

oil or spray oil

Oil for frying. (Oil should be about 2” to 3” deep)

Preparation:

Cook rice as per directions on package.  Don’t forget to rinse it first. 

Prepare the breadcrumb mixture.  Put the following ingredients into a shallow dish or pan; breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Set aside.

Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of grated cheese and 1/2 cup of tomato sauce (doesn’t have to be hot).  Mix well.   Cool rice just enough to be able to handle it.

While rice is cooling a few minutes, crack egg in a small bowl and beat with fork, set aside.  Cut mozzarella into small cubes..about 1 inch x 1 inch.  If you want to put anything else in the middle of the rice ball, now is the time to get that together. Make sure whatever you put in the centre of the rice ball is already cooked. 

When rice is ready to handle, spray both your hands with spray oil (or oil).  Take a heaping tablespoon full of the rice and pat it flat in your hand, add a cube or two of cheese (and any other ingredient at this point) then another heaping spoonful of rice formed into a patty and put that on top.  Form this little rice sandwich into a ball, about 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, but you could make then larger if you like.   Keep oiling hands as needed.  Dip rolled ball into beaten egg and wash it all over with your hands. Roll in breadcrumb mixture.  Shake off excess bread crumbs and fry in heated oil. Keep rolling the balls and turning them constantly while frying.  Fry to a nice golden brown color, frying time should be about 3 minutes. Don’t let oil get TOO hot.  Drain on paper towel.

Serve alone or topped with sauce.  Bon Appétit

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