Pea and Sundried Tomato Risotto with Crispy Pancetta

Here is my go to risotto recipe, it never fails.  ALWAYS comes out perfect!  I LOVE risotto...especially with crispy pancetta! YUM!

1 cup arborio rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 small shallot finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

a pinch or two of thyme

salt and pepper

1 Tb butter

1 - 2 Tb olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sun dried  tomatoes

1/2 cup frozen peas

In a medium pot add pancetta.  Cook until crispy.  Remove from pot and reserve to top risotto with. Heat butter, oil, shallot, garlic, thyme salt and pepper.  Add rice,  heat through about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add 1 cup of chicken broth.  Stir often.  Add next cup of broth once the liquid is soaked up in risotto. Keep stirring! Add 1 cup white wine.

Once all liquid is about all absorbed, add peas.  When peas are heated through, add sun dried tomatoes and cheese.  Serve in pasta bowls and top with crispy pancetta, ENJOY :) 

I'm Back!!!!!

It has been nearly 2 YEARS since I last posted.  During my pregnancy and my daughters first year I was very busy and tired, however I did make my own baby food....but am sure that's not what you may be looking for, HA!  This school year I started a new job (that I LOVE), which allows me to stay home more with my beautiful, sassy baby girl and make delicious healthy food again for my family.  My girl is a very good eater and loves to be in the kitchen with her mama!  Thank goodness!

My News Years Resolution (a few weeks early) is to get my cook books out, wipe off the dust and be inspired to create new dishes and make new dishes from the millions of recipes I have stored in the cupboard.  

The last few weeks, I have been taking pictures of some of my creations (I will share and hopefully remember how I made them!)...let the cooking begin...again!  

WELCOME, 2015!

Asparagus Risotto with Shrimp in a Sherry Parsley Sauce

Eggnog Cookies!  Thank you Pinterest....great recipe!

Pizza with Butternut Squash Sauce, sausage caramelized onions topped with fresh local farmers cheese!  So good!

Roasted chicken thighs with carrots, fennel, celery and potatoes.

Bacon and Pea Risotto

1 1b thick cut bacon; cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2/3 cup frozen green peas

1 cup arborio rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 small shallot finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

thyme

salt and pepper

1 Tb butter

1 - 2 Tb olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

In a pot cook bacon until crispy.  Set bacon aside.  Remove half of the bacon fat, add peas and cook in bacon fat :)  Remove peas when cooked through.

In the same pot add shallot, garlic, thyme salt and pepper (additional oil if needed).

Add rice,  heat through about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add 1 cup of chicken broth.  Stir often.  

Add  next cup of broth once the liquid is soaked up in risotto.

Keep stirring!

Add 1 cup white wine.

Once all liquid is about all absorbed, add cheese.

Add bacon and peas, mix well, ENJOY :) 

Sun-Dried Tomato and Asparagus Risotto

Sun Dried Tomato and Asparagus:

2 TB sun dried tomatoes

1 cup of 1 inch cut pieces of asparagus

1 tsp shallots chopped

olive oil

In a pan, saute all together until cooked through.  About 5 - 10 minutes.  I like the asparagus to be a little crunchy still.

Risotto:

1 cup arborio rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 small shallot finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

thyme

salt and pepper

1 Tb butter

1 - 2 Tb olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

In pot heat butter, oil, shallot, garlic, thyme salt and pepper.

Add rice,  heat through about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add 1 cup of chicken broth.  Stir often.  

Add  next cup of broth once the liquid is soaked up in risotto.

Keep stirring!

Add 1 cup white wine.

Once all liquid is about all absorbed, add cheese.

Add sun dried tomato and asparagus, mix well, ENJOY :) 

Baked Risotto Balls

Last month I made butternut squash risotto and since I always make enough for leftovers I decided to make some risotto balls for an appetizer.  Yesterday, I decided to take them out of the freezer for a tasty appetizer, which I must say was absolutely delicious.  If you are looking for a new appetizer this holiday season, try this recipe out!

Squash:

2-3 cups butternut squash (3/4 inch cubes)
fresh sage
olive oil
salt and pepper
Mix ingredients, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
When done, I left in oven to keep warm until risotto was done.

Risotto:
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
thyme
salt and pepper
1 Tb butter
1 - 2 Tb olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup provolone cheese (for risotto)
2/3 cup provolone cheese (for risotto balls)
2 eggs
plain (unseasoned) bread crumbs
In pot heat butter, oil, onions, garlic, thyme salt and pepper.  Add rice, heat through about 3 minutes over medium heat.  Add 1 cup of chicken broth. Stir often. Add next cup of broth once the liquid is soaked up in risotto.  Keep stirring!  Add 1 cup white wine.  Once all liquid is about all absorbed, add cheeses (1/4 of provolone cheese).  Add butternut squash.  Refrigerate overnight.  Form 1 inch balls with risotto, add a pinch of provolone cheese to center of risotto ball.  You will need two bowls, one for egg wash mixture and one for unseasoned bread crumbs.  Roll risotto balls in egg wash, then in breadcrumbs. On a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil so the pan has a thin layer of olive oil.  Bake risotto balls for 6 minutes at 375 degrees, then flip and bake for another 6 minutes.  Enjoy :)

Butternut Squash Risotto

You know its fall because Wegmans has lots of fresh squash all over the produce department!! YUM!  I could not resist buying some butternut squash this week.  Leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping and October is just around the corner so what's better on a fall dinner menu than squash!

I have been making risotto for a couple years now, and feel that I have finally mastered the dish, and boy do I just love it!  I have made a number of different risotto's, but last night I combined risotto with roasted butternut squash to make a tasty, colorful meal.

Squash:

2-3 cups butternut squash (3/4 inch cubes)

fresh sage

olive oil

salt and pepper

Mix ingredients, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

When done, I left in oven   to keep warm until risotto was done.

Risotto:

1 cup arborio rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup white wine

1 small onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

thyme

salt and pepper

1 Tb butter

1 - 2 Tb olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup provolone cheese

In pot heat butter, oil, onions, garlic, thyme salt and pepper.

Add rice,  heat through about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add 1 cup of chicken broth.  Stir often.  

Add  next cup of broth once the liquid is soaked up in risotto.

Keep stirring!

Add 1 cup white wine.

Once all liquid is about all absorbed, add cheeses.

Add butternut squash, mix well, ENJOY :)