Lemon Risotto (How to prepare in advance)

Creamy, delicious, comfort food!

Risotto is the perfect side when you are craving something tasty AND want to impress! Plus it's not as difficult to prepare as some believe.

We served this lemony risotto with blackened grouper and roasted asparagus...it was outstanding! Impressed our guests, that's for sure. Special thank you to Mariah for providing and preparing the amazing "FRESH" grouper!

I prepared (aka par-cooked) the risotto about 2 hours before dinner was served...this saved me SO MUCH time and work...I didn't have to stand over the pot stirring for 20 minutes while my guests were here. Once we were ready to eat - I finished cooking the risotto and the end result was perfection! *This is what restaurants do!

Lemon Risotto Recipe 
(when you want to make it in advance- up to two hours before serving)

Ingredients:

• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 cups Arborio rice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup pre-grated parmesan cheese OR 1 cup of fresh grated parmesan or pecorino (the latter is preferred)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & pepper
• EVOO
• 1 medium onion (white or sweet)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup of white wine (cooking)
• Casserole dish for cooling the par-cooked risotto 

Steps:

1. Heat a splash of EVOO over medium-high heat in a round pot.
2. In a separate sauce pan, heat and simmer the stock + water...keep hot/warm. 
3. Saute the diced onion in the olive oil for 3 minutes then add the crushed garlic the last 30 seconds.
4. Add the rice and lemon zest to the onion/garlic, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute. 
5. Pour in the white wine and cook until absorbed. 
6. For the next 16 minutes, ladle in the hot chicken stock, one cup at a time, waiting for it to absorb, before adding more (STIRRING CONSTANTLY). Do this with about 3.5 cups of the stock. You will need to reserve around 1-1.5 cups when you finish cooking. 
7. After the 16 minutes, when your 3.5 cups of stock have been absorbed by the rice, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the rice into a casserole dish - spreading the risotto out evenly to help it cool down and stop cooking. The rice should be undercooked. Once cooled off a bit - cover with plastic wrap and keep on the counter until you're almost ready to plate your dinner.

****When you're ready to finish cooking the risotto**** (right before plating your meal)

1. Heat the reserved stock/water over medium-high heat in the larger pot that the risotto was originally in.
2. Add the risotto back into the large pot with the stock.
3. Stir quickly and constantly until the stock has been absorbed.
4. Add butter, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and stir to combine. 
5. Add salt/pepper to taste.
6. Continue stirring until the rice has fully cooked and is al dente. 

I can't wait to try more risotto recipes!

Bon apetit!

Skinny (kinda) Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I love practicing for a cook-off! Why? Because I try things like THIS:

We're about 4 days out from the annual "Brenner Super Bowl Cook-Off" and I can't get the word 'casserole' out of my mind. Each year, the cooks are challenged to create a "winning" dish within a certain category (past competitions: wings, chili, lasagna). 

I'm pretty sure we have a top contender, but...it is Wednesday and we don't really have plans for dinner. So...what do I do? Get inspired (on Pinterest)! 

Key search word: CASSEROLE. Yep, I found a plethora of ideas...but one stuck. And not necessarily for our entry in the competition, but because I knew I had ALL of the ingredients at home. YAY- dinner plans = done!

Recipe adapted from: THIS SITE

Skinny (kinda) Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cut into about 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large can of Dei Fratelli tomato sauce

1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

1 to 2 bags of croutons (I used Garlic & Cheese and Salt & Pepper flavors)

Fresh basil (and/or dried basil)

Oregano

Crushed red pepper

Garlic powder (or fresh garlic)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350f.

2. Crush croutons into smaller pieces (I used a rolling pin) in the bag they come in.

3. Place cut chicken, olive oil, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper (EXTRA), and garlic into casserole dish and mix.

4. Top with sauce and bake for 30 minutes (uncovered).

5. Top with: parmesan cheese, half of the mozzarella, crushed croutons, and again, the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.

6. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted and the crouton bits are golden. (I added crushed red pepper, again, during this step)

This was so good!

Spaghetti Squash Aglio e Olio

I think I might be late in the game...but WOW, spaghetti squash is amazing! 

My first time ever making it was tonight, to serve with some leftover pasta sauce. I was so anxious to try it, once it was out of the oven I didn't even heat up the leftover sauce. I whipped out the olive oil, crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese and few other odds and ends and created a masterpiece. Simple, and not masking the flavor of the squash, aglio e olio was a great idea. 

I never want to go back to traditional pasta, I am in love! 

Spaghetti Squash Aglio e Olio

Servings: 3-4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 spaghetti squash

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of diced garlic (or substitute garlic powder)

Crushed red pepper

Salt

Parmesan cheese

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375f.

2. Prepare the squash: cut edges off first, then cut lengthwise. Seed the squash and place face down on a baking sheet. Bake for about 50-60 minutes. After the time is up, remove from oven, turn the squash over and allow to cool. Once you're able to handle it (I rushed and used an oven mitt), gently scrape a fork along the inside of the squash until all of the squash is removed (this is my favorite part). 

3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once heated add garlic and a few dashes of crushed red pepper until the garlic is fragrant. 

4. Add the spaghetti squash to the pan, salt (to your liking) while tossing in the olive oil and top with Parmesan cheese.

5. Serve and enjoy, immediately!

Stuffed Jalapenos

Perfect game-day appetizer. 

Yes, you guessed it: EASY & DELICIOUS...I feel like that's becoming a common theme among my posts.

One of Trey's buddy's from work brought these over for the UNC vs UM game and, yes, YUM!

If you eat meat (Italian Sausage) and don't mind some heat, try it! And don't let the word "jalapeno" scare you...if you seed the jalapenos completely, it will NOT be spicy. I, however, reserve the seeds and sprinkle extra all over the jalapenos!

Ingredients

20 Jalapenos

8 oz. of softened cream cheese

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1 lb. hot Italian sausage

Steps

1. Cook Italian sausage until browned.

2. Preheat oven to 425f.

3. Prep the jalapenos: rinse, half, seed.

4. Mix cream cheese, parmesan and sausage.

5. Stuff each jalapeno half then bake until browned, about 15-20 minutes.

*Bacon optional :)

Stuffed Shell & Mini Bell Pepper Medley with Turkey Meatballs

There's a first for everything...

Stuffed Shells & Mini Peppers! Yum.

Servings: 8-12
Ingredients:

Ground Turkey

2 eggs

3-4 cups of ricotta

2 cups of shredded cheese

1 cup of shaved Parmesan

2.5 cups of grated Parmesan

1/2 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

24-32 oz of your favorite tomato sauce

1-2 cups of bread crumbs

10-12 mini bell peppers

1 package of jumbo pasta shells

Spices: garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic salt, crushed red peppers

Steps:

1. Combine: turkey, 1 egg, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, oregano, salt & pepper. Mix well and form mini meatballs. *If the mixture is too sticky, add more bread crumbs.

2. Pan fry on a higher heat to brown the outsides and set aside.

3. Saute chopped mushrooms, green peppers and onions for 5-10 minutes. Once the onion is translucent add the sauce, crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, and spices: garlic salt, crushed red pepper (a lot), and oregano. Simmer on low.

4. Cut stems and remove the seeds from the mini bell peppers.

5. Coat the bottom of a large lasagna pan with the veggie sauce. 

6. Mix the ricotta, the remaining grated Parmesan, shredded cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and spices (garlic salt, pepper, oregano). Pipe the mixture into the mini peppers and cooked shells using a ziploc bag.

7. Arrange the stuffed shells (seam side down) and peppers in the dish on top of the sauce.

8. Add the sauce on top; just enough to cover the peppers and shells. 

9. Place dish in a preheated oven (375 degrees) for 40-45 minutes. Top rack, uncovered.

*Add the meatballs about 15-20 minutes into the cooking.

10. Add the shaved Parmesan cheese during the last few minutes and enjoy!

Next time I am adding:

1. Spinach to the ricotta mixture

2. Minced garlic to the turkey meatballs

3. Whole mushrooms to the baking step at the end

4. Other/more veggies to the sauce!

Blackened Chicken Alfredo

Blackened Chicken Fettucini Alfredo

with mushrooms, multi-colored mini bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes, & scallions
 

 

(serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

1. Pasta
2. 1 pint of heavy whipping cream
3. 4 tbs parmesan cheese (maybe more...)
4. 2 thick chicken breasts
5. 4 tbs butter (unsalted)
6. blackening seasoning (you can make your own)
7. Baby bella mushrooms sliced (one small container)
8. 5-7 multi colored mini bell peppers diced
9. Scallions (3-4 stalks)
10. 2 tbs olive oil
11. 1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes (small peices)

 

Steps:

1. Slice each breast in half lenthwise to create a total of 4 thinner cutlets.
2. Brush each peice of chicken with 2tbs of melted butter
3. Sprinkle each slice with blackening seasoning, pat/rub each to make sure it sticks.
4. Heat skillet over medium heat, spray with Pam, and place two breasts in the center.
5. After a few minutes of blackening, turn the chicken over (don't forget to spray the Pam before the other side of the chicken touches the skillet; prevents burning/smoking).
6. Repeat with the 2nd two  breasts.
7. In the mean time begin boiling water for pasta (follow instructions on the box).
8. Heat oven to about 400 degrees F (for garlic bread* and also chicken).
9. Once each cutlet is seared and blackened just enough, place on an aluminum lined baking sheet in the over for about 5-8 minutes until cooked through. Flip once, once you see the juices flowing, the chicken should be ready. It never hurts to cut through and double check.
10. Now we begin the veggies; heat two tbs olive oil in the same pan (I washed mine).
11. Add mushroom, scallion and sundried tomato. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, until softened.
12. OPTIONAL: Add sliced chicken (I did this; however when I make this again, I will add the chicken as the final step before serving).
13. Stir in heavy 2 tbs butter, whipping cream and parmesan cheese. Heat should be at medium. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes and patiently wait as it thickens...(I was becoming worries, so I added a few dashes of corn starch to thicken...and maybe a few extra dashes of parmesan cheese).
14. Once thickened, you're ready to serve over pasta!

Tips & Recommendations

• Serve with side salad and garlic bread.
• Crushed red pepper flakes OR fresh ground black pepper is always a plus.
• Trust me, you DON'T need any more parmesan cheese.
• Go crazy with the veggies, broccoli would have been an awesome addition!
• Why not add a splash of your favorite red sauce; everyone loves PINK SAUCE!

What a comforting meal :)

 

Enjoy.