Baked Spinach and Pea Risotto

{Meatless Monday}

This recipe was SO much easier than the other risotto I made a while back.  This one is baked...which means you put things in the pot/skillet, bring it to a boil, and then put it in your oven!  Instead of standing there stirring for 30 minutes straight!  This is definitely a keeper.  It has such a great flavor and is so easy to throw together.





Here's what you'll need:

2 T butter
1 shallot, chopped (I used a green onion)
6-8 mushrooms, sliced (I added this ingredient and I used Shiitake)
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used cooking wine)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup Arborio rice (I buy mine in the bulk section of WinCo)
1 cup frozen peas ( I warmed mine in a pot before mixing in)
2 cups roughly chopped spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 425.  Heat the butter in a dutch oven or large ovenproof pot.  ( I just used my large skillet that can go straight into the oven.  I would LOVE a LaCreuset Dutch Oven...but that isn't happening anytime soon! ; )

Add shallot/onion, and mushrooms.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms shrink and brown.

Add the wine to the pot and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the broth and rice and bring to a full boil.

Cover the pot and transfer to HOT oven.  Cook until the rice is tender and creamy, 20-25 minutes.  (Mine was done in about 20-22 minutes)

 This is what it looked like when I took it out of the oven:

 Add the peas, spinach, and Parmesan.  Stir.  If it is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup hot water.  I ended up using at least 1/2 cup of water that the peas had been cooked in.   Top with more Parmesan, if desired.

This was so creamy and all my kids ate it really well.  I admit I did remove the mushrooms for the younger two.  They just don't love them and my husband and I don't want a single one wasted! ; )  We love them too much.
Enjoy!  And I hope you have a wonderful week!

Life...and other things that keep me busy!

I cannot believe it has been a full month since I last posted!  Sorry!

I have been quite preoccupied with some commitments I made a long time ago...namely, PTA Teacher Appreciation Week and sewing 55 articles of clothing for my son's dance teacher (in trade for the entire year of dance for free! ; )

Thank goodness for my MOM!!  She and my dad were visiting and she helped me get everything started and she even took home about 22 of those pieces...including the leotards which scared me a little.  Bless her!!!

The good news for this blog is that I was just at my library last night and found this cookbook that looked like it would have lots of new, easy, fresh recipes to try.

And after I went through and tabbed every recipe that looked interesting and vegetarian, it looked like THIS:

So I promise there are good things to come!  I have also bookmarked quite a few recipes off the internet. I am especially excited to try my first Vegan Lasagna that all the reviewers swear tastes delicious and some even say they can't believe it doesn't have ricotta in it because it tastes so good.  So, we will see!
Stick around...and I will be back on Monday with a new Meatless Dish for you to try!

Have a great weekend!