What is Risotto? Make it Anytime of the Year.

I know when you think of Italian food or Italy, pasta and pizza are the first foods that come to mind.  But in Northern Italy, rice is a big thing.  Actually the dish is called "Risotto" and it comes in many flavors.  Well the rice doesn't but the additional ingredients give you all sorts of possibilities.

Two of them are recipes this week.  Tuesday is a "Pumpkin Risotto" and then Wednesday we break some rules.  We do risotto in a "Slow Cooker" and it's called "Slow Cooker Risotto with Sweet Corn, Bacon & Basil" and is great in the summer sweet corn season.

So what is Risotto?  It's a rice dish made with a short grain rice such as "Arborio" (most common available in USA), "Baldo" or "Carnaroli."  The rice is cooked in broth to a creamy consistency.  Most risotto uses olive oil or butter, onions, the rice, wine and/or broth of some type (chicken, vegetable, beef for example).  Added ingredients such as pumpkin (mentioned above), mushrooms or other items.  Then it is usually finished off with a little butter, grated cheese and/or heavy cream.  The rice is still al dente when the dish is finished and creamy.

To make risotto, you start with a couple of pans.  One to heat the broth you will be adding to the rice.  The heating of the broth is a most to create a great finished product.  The other can be a large skillet or sauce pan to heat the oil or butter before sautéing onions.  It may be best to remove them once done.  Then you add the rice and sauté it in the oil or butter for a few minutes.  Next you would add the wine (if using and it should be warmed too) and let it be absorbed.  Add the onions back and start adding broth a ladle at a time.  Stirring the rice mixture occasionally as the rice continues to absorb the liquid.  Once all the broth has been absorbed, you finish it off with a little butter, grated cheese or heavy cream depending on what the recipe needs.

Now there are some people who do it a little different.  Some won't use butter in the beginning while others won't use it at all or the heavy cream either.  Depending on the recipe, the wine may be white or red.  Some like to finish the dish by removing it from the heat, placing a lid on it and letting it sit 2 or 3 minutes before serving.

You can make up your own mind on which way you like it best.  Remember that this dish can be served as a first course or a main entrée.  So it has some flexibility to it.

Give one of these recipes a try or some other that sounds interesting to you.  If you're not sure, order it at a restaurant to decide if it is something you like and maybe then make on your own.

"Happy Cooking" until next week and please share with family and friends.

Cherry Almond Snowdrops

Cherry Almond Snowdrops

(about 3 dozen)

 

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. Cake Flour

1¼ cups Powdered Sugar, divided

¼ tsp. Salt

1 cup Unsalted Butter, cold & cubed

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

½ tsp. Almond Extract

½ cup Dried Cherries, chopped

¼ cup Almonds, toasted & finely chopped

Directions:

Place flour, ¾ cup sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add butter and both extracts to flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles little peas.  Add cherries and almonds, then pulse to combine.  Dough will be crumbly.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls pressing firmly to adhere.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool cookies in pan for 10 minutes.  Now roll warm cookies in remaining powdered sugar and place on wire rack to cool completely.

Note:               To toast the almonds, place in a skillet over low heat.  Stirring occasionally, heat until lightly browned and fragrant.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Cherry Christmas Cookies

Cherry Christmas Cookies

(6 dozen)

 

Ingredients:

1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 large Fresh Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2¼ cups All-Purpose Flour

2 cups Candied Cherries (red & green colored), halved

1 cup Pecan Halves

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy.  Add flour a half cup at a time until well mixed.  Stir in the cherries and pecans and then chill dough for an hour.  Divide dough in thirds and form each piece into a 10 inch roll or log.  Wrap each roll in plastic and place in a large freezer bag.  Freeze until solid.  Take one roll at a time and slice into 24 pieces.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet and put in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.

Note:               You get about 2 dozen cookies out of each roll of frozen dough.  The frozen rolls will last a few months in the freezer.  That way you can always have some ready to bake on short notice.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Cookies for the Holidays

During the "Christmas Holiday" season, seems everyone likes making and eating special cookies.  I'm no different and enjoy both the making and the eating.  I have several cookie and bar recipes in the "Desserts & Baking" recipe tab above.  They include "My Favorite Thumb Print Cookie" and "Chocolate Krinkles" which are two of my favorites.

I happen to love cherries in many different ways including fresh, dried, candied, jarred and even frozen.  In my searching for new ideas and recipes, I found two cookie recipes that involve cherries.  So  I'm sharing those with you this week.

Wednesday's recipe is for "Cherry Christmas Cookies" and use red & green candied cherries.  On Thursday, I have "Cherry Almond Snowdrops" that are rolled in powdered sugar after baking.  If you like cherries at all, I believe these will both be a big hit for you.

I'm, like most of you, busy with the "Holiday Season" and have little other time between shopping, decorating and baking.  And many other aspects of the season too.  So I'm not making this post long so you can get back to what needs to get done.  But did want to share those cherry recipes for cookies.

"Happy Cooking & Baking" until next week and please help spread my food blog to family and friends.  Thank you and these recipes work well for "Hanukkah" too which just started yesterday.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole (GF)

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole (GF)

(12 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 whole Garlic Bulbs

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

8 slices Bacon

3 large Green Onions, sliced

4 lb. Red Potatoes

1 (16 oz.) container Sour Cream

1½ cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided

1/3 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature

¼ cup Milk

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

1/8 cup Chives, minced (optional)

Directions:

Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulb.  Cut top off of garlic bulb and brush with oil.  Wrap each bulb in foil and bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before using.  In a large skillet while garlic is baking, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to paper towel lined plate and reserve 2 tbsp. of bacon drippings.  In same skillet, cook onion in the drippings until tender and then set aside.  Crumble bacon.  Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Mash potatoes, squeeze softened garlic over top.  Stir in bacon, onions with drippings, sour cream, 1 cup cheese, butter, milk, salt and pepper.  Combine all and transfer mixture into a 9x13 baking dish that has been buttered.  Top mixture with remaining cheese and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven uncovered for about 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.  Remove, garnish with chives and serve.

Note:               This dish can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  Just don’t add cheese topping at this time.  Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before placing in the oven.  Adjust baking time to about 45 minutes and cover with foil during this baking time.  Remove foil and continue another 15 minutes after topping with the remaining cheese.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Corn Pudding (GF)

Corn Pudding (GF)

(8-12 servings)

 

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter (plus extra for baking dish)

3¼ cups Milk, divided

2 tsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 cup Cornmeal

2 cups Whole Kernel Corn (fresh or frozen)

¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

4 large Fresh Eggs, separated & room temperature

¼ tsp. Cream of Tartar

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine butter, 3 cups of milk, sugar and salt.  Bring to a simmer and when butter has melted, reduce heat to medium-low.  Slowly add cornmeal as you whisk constantly.  Now add in corn and pepper while continuing to whisk until thickened (3-5 minutes).  Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup of milk together.  Set both of these bowls aside.  In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until you have stiff peaks.  Now combine a ½ cup of cornmeal mixture with the egg yolk mixture and then add back to the remaining cornmeal mixture bowl.  Take egg whites and slowly fold in 1/3 of them into the cornmeal mixture.  Then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites.  Transfer this batter into a buttered 7x11 baking dish.  Place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven and bake for about 35 minutes.  The top should be browned and puffy and the dish should jiggle slightly.  Remove to a rack and cool slightly before serving warm.

Note:               If you like a little kick to your dish, try adding a fresh jalapeno pepper or two.  Remove seeds, dice finely and add to mixture when you add the corn.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Gluten-Free Side Dishes for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is over but there is still the holiday season of December ahead of us.  For those that need a gluten-free diet, making a holiday meal can be challenging.  It's not hard to find GF recipes for turkey, prime rib or beef brisket.  The side dishes though can be a whole different issue.

Green bean casserole and gravies usually have gluten in them, for example.  You can today find GF cream of mushroom soup and fried onions but only at some grocery stores  As for gravies, you might try using "Potato Starch" as your thickener.

Just a reminder, that all turkeys are not GF.  Be sure to check the label as some have gluten in the liquid they inject into the turkey.

I came across a recipe in the paper recently that didn't mention being gluten-free.  However, as I looked at it, I noticed it was gluten-free.  I tried it and was very pleased with the results.  I'm posting that recipe tomorrow.  It's for "Corn Pudding" and it makes a great side dish to any special holiday meal.

Thursday's  recipe is for "Loaded Baked Potato Casserole" and it too makes a great side dish to that holiday dinner.

If you are looking for some good GF pasta products, I've found a couple that I really think hit the mark.  These two companies do have product in stores but it is a very limited number of stores.  But they offer online sales too.  The first is "Leo's Gluten-Free"  out of Illinois and they make great ravioli, gnocchi and other pasta products.  Find them at www.leosglutenfree.com  and give them a try.  The other company is "BiAglut" and there products are made in Italy.  The elbow pasta I use in the GF Mac & Cheese recipe that I posted back on 11-5-15 is from them.  To order from them go to www.BiAglutUSA.com and give them a shot.  Be sure to check on their websites if someone handles their products in your area.

Hope this helps you in planning future holiday dinners.  "Happy Cooking" until next week.