It’s simple and easy to make and makes a perfect accompaniment to most any meat dish, can be served as an appetizer,

or if you’re like us, it can also be enjoyed by itself with a little fresh bread. In fact, that’s what ... [read more]]]>

It’s simple and easy to make and makes a perfect accompaniment to most any meat dish, can be served as an appetizer,

or if you’re like us, it can also be enjoyed by itself with a little fresh bread. In fact, that’s what we had for dinner last night…a little risotto with bread fresh from the oven. Yummmm!!!

The other thing that’s wonderful about risotto is that the recipe can be changed and modified easily. It’s so versatile that you can make taste different every time you make it by using different vegetables, such as peas or garlic, and you can even use different types of wine and seasonings to change the flavor. Hope you enjoy it.

Risotto

Recipe is adapted from the “Real Italian Risotto” recipe on the back of my box of BelAria Arborio rice

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. (16 oz) of arborio rice (I used BelAria brand)
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 oz. salted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 10 baby carrots, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 1 glass white Zinfandel wine (dry white wine is usually used but I didn’t have any on hand)
• 9 oz. chicken broth
• 1 quart water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 4 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Vegeta to taste (you can substitute with your favorite blend of spices or just use salt and pepper to taste)
• Optional: dried dill or oregano flakes for garnishing

Instructions:

• Dice the onion and celery, and then finely chop the carrots.
• In a medium-sized stock pot over medium-high heat, dissolve the chicken bouillon cube in a quart of water.
• After the cube has dissolved, reduce the heat to warm and add the chicken broth, stirring occasionally.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium-sized stock pot until the oil gets hot.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and the carefully add the vegetables. Saute them until they’re soft and golden brown.
• Add the uncooked rice to the olive oil/vegetable mixture and stir constantly for two minutes so each of the grains of rice can become coated with the oil/butter mixture.
• Add the wine and stir constantly until the wine evaporates.
• Turn the heat off the chicken broth mixture, and then add some of the warm broth until the rice is covered.
• Reduce the heat to low, stirring constantly while the rice simmers.
• When the broth becomes almost completely absorbed, add more broth to the rice mixture, stirring constantly.
• Repeat this step until you’ve used all the broth mixture.
• When the rice is cooked and when the broth is not completely absorbed, remove the rice from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. If you like, you can also add one to two tablespoons of butter, but it’s not necessary.
• Stir the rice until the risotto reaches a creamy consistency.
• Serve warm and garnish with a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese and dried dill or oregano flakes if you like.

Today something totally magical happened. I made a rice pudding for Kemal, and ... [read more]]]>

Today something totally magical happened. I made a rice pudding for Kemal, and when I tried it, I fell in love! I was oooohing and aaaaahing while I enjoyed every rich, creamy bite! Kemal really enjoyed it as well and said I did a really good job.

So how did this recipe come about?

Well, a while back when I made Russian Hat Cake, Kemal and I sampled the cream filling and thought it was excellent. He said he could imagine that filling being used as a base for rice pudding, and today, I made the pudding the way he envisioned it. I just basically cut the cream filling ingredients in half and added some vanilla. Then I added the soft, milk-soaked rice and presto…a rich, creamy rice pudding was born! Thanks to my friend, Vesna, for the cream filling recipe, and to Kemal for the idea and inspiration! Also, thanks to my mom for the bread basket liner she made which I used as a background when I photographed my pudding.

If you decide to make it, you’ll need about an hour or so, and you’ll be doing a lot of stirring. My fingers were aching by the time the rice was done, but it was definitely worth the time and effort.

Rice Pudding That Makes You Oooooh and Aaaaaah!

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, salted
• 6 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 7 1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 pkg. vanilla sugar (Optional)
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla

Instructions:

• Put the stick of butter on your counter top so it can soften.
• In a medium-sized saucepan, mix together 5 1/2 cups milk and rice, and then bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.
• After the milk begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, stirring constantly until the rice becomes soft.
• Remove it from the heat when the rice is done, and then stir in 1/2 cup sugar. Set it aside to cool a little.
• Next take 1/2 cup milk and 7 1/2 tbsp. flour and whip it by hand with a whisk until there are no lumps. Set it aside when you’re done.
• Put 1/2 cups milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, and vanilla sugar in a sauce pan and heat it on medium well heat until it boils, stirring constantly.
• After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and then add the flour/milk mixture that you just whisked together, stirring it in with the warm milk/sugar very quickly.
• Keep stirring it on low heat until it has the consistency of a pudding.
• When the mixture becomes pudding-like in texture, mix in the 2 tsp. vanilla.
• Then refrigerate it so it can chill.
• After the cream cools and is nice and cold, take your mixer and beat the stick of softened butter into the mixture.
• Then stir the rice mixture into the cream mixture, mixing well.
• Serve warm or chilled.
• Optional: You can garnish the top of the pudding with cinnamon sugar or with a sweet cocoa powder if you like.