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!

Mushroom Risotto

  {Meatless Monday}

This is the first recipe to be posted out of my new cookbook.  It is definitely a keeper.  We loved it.  The recipe called for white wine and though I am not against buying cooking wine, I just didn't want to bother. So I "googled" to find a substitute and one suggestion was Ginger Ale...so that's what I did!

I have actually never made a risotto before.  It did require a little time standing at the oven stirring in all the liquid...but it was well worth it!

This was the first time I have bought leeks and I really liked them.  The guy at the store told me they are just expensive onions and he thought that regular onions or green onions would be just the same.  So you can try either one of those too.

I couldn't find arborio rice at my grocery store, so I just used my long-grain white rice.  I have since been to Win-Co and bought arborio from their bulk bins, so I will be ready the next time I make this!

Here's what you need:
6 cups (48 oz) vegetable stock
2 cups white wine (I used Ginger Ale)
2 T olive oil
3 T butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 lb. mushrooms, sliced (I used less than one pound of Crimini mushrooms and it was great!)
1 lb. (2 cups) arborio rice
3/4 cup grated parmesan
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
balsamic vinegar and parsley, for garnish (I actually totally forgot this step ; )




Place the stock and wine (ginger ale) in a large saucepan and keep at simmering point on stovetop.










Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan.  Add the leek and cook over medium for 5 minutes, until soft and golden.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the rice and stir for 1-2 minutes until translucent.

1/2 cup hot stock, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed.  Continue adding the stock, a little at a time, stirring constantly over medium heat for 20-25 minutes...until the rice is tender and creamy.

So it is up to your preference if you use all the stock or if you need more water at the end.  Just keep adding about 1/2 cup at a time and stir until you like the consistency.  I used all of my stock and probably cooked it about 30 total minutes.  I really liked the sweet aftertaste that the ginger ale created.  It was just yummy!

Stir in the Parmesan and chopped parsley and heat for 1 minute.  Serve immediately, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and topped with more parmesan and parsley, if desired.

Black Beans and Rice

{Meatless Monday}

I have used the same, simple recipe for YEARS to make black beans and rice.  I have also had another recipe in my box from years ago that I cut out of Better Homes and Garden.  For some reason, I have never gotten around to making this one until now...and I will never go back!  It is so flavorful.  My old one has diced tomatoes in it and it was a little more bland.  But this one has red wine vinegar and cumin that gives it a wonderful taste.  It is very simple and a very inexpensive dinner!

 I recently canned black beans with the help of my mother (since it was my first time with a pressure canner--I thought I'd enlist some experience!).   My 26 lb. bag of dry black beans cost me just under $17.  Unbelievably...I got the equivalent of 100 pints out of that bag!  Can you say cheap??  So for one pint (a bit more than one can worth), the beans cost 17 cents!

This is about half of what I got...the rest are already down in storage in our crawl space.    I use A LOT of black beans since I started using black bean puree as an oil substitute in my muffins, quick breads, brownies, and my banana or zucchini cakes.  It makes them SO moist and works TONS better than applesauce.  AND you are adding protein instead of extra sugar!  (More on that later!!  I am planning on posting my favorite recipes to substitute!)

Here's what you need:
2 cups long grain rice--cook to your preference.  I use 2 tsp. bouillon and 4 cups water.

1 med. onion, chopped
1 large green or red pepper, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz. cans black beans--undrained
1 c. chicken broth
2 T red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup green onions, optional for garnish

Saute the onion, green/red pepper, and garlic in 2 T olive oil until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the beans, broth, vinegar, bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, and salt.

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.  ( I actually don't cover mine at all...I let some of the liquid boil off while it simmers.)

Remove the bay leaves.  Serve over rice, topped with green onions.

Super easy and a quick inexpensive thing to throw together!  We will be having this at least every other week now.  It's a great way to stretch the food budget since I've already got the canned beans!! 

Easiest Indian Stew

{Meatless Monday}

We don't eat a lot of Indian Food around here.  We like it, but it is rarely our first choice.  This was a super easy stew that had lots of good flavor.  Neither of us LOVE chick peas...I assumed no one did until I was telling a friend about this recipe and she said, "Chickpeas are one of my favorite foods!"   HUH??  I just didn't get it, but to each his own! ; )

  

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon curry powder, plus more for garnish
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 cups homemade or best-quality store-bought tomato sauce
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Cook rice according to package instructions; cover, and keep warm.

While rice is cooking, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

 

Add curry powder and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add tomato sauce, chickpeas, and 1 1/2 cups water.  Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve stew with rice and yogurt, garnished with lime wedges and a pinch of curry.

Stir Fry--Super Easy!

{Meatless Monday}

Just a real quick idea today!

I bought this stir fry packet at the store and also some veggies I don't normally buy: snow peas, fresh green beans, zucchini.  I threw them in with onions, mushrooms, carrots, peas, and some broccoli.  You could also use bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.

We ate this over rice and it was delicious and most important:  easy and quick!

I am currently trying to switch my family over to brown rice...kids love it, hubby is not so sure!  ; )
But I do a mix of 2/3 brown and 1/3 rice.  (Yes, I cook them separately, then mix!) I really want to go to 100% brown rice, but then my dilemma is this:  what do I do with all the rice I have in food storage???  Isn't it ironic that we can't store the stuff that is actually good for us??

Hope you all have a wonderful week!!  My goal this week is to STOP BAKING!! Valentine's weekend was not good for my eating habits!  Too many delicious sugar cookies and beautiful chocolate-cream cheese and raspberry cupcakes....mmmmm....those were good!  Now back to my new year's resolutions! ; )

Creamy Rice with Peas and Mushrooms

{Meatless Monday}

I got this recipe out of Kraft Food and Family magazine that (sadly) used to be free but now is not!  I am just glad that I have at least a dozen old issues in my possession.  They are great for quick and easy ideas.
This recipe is a wonderful one to use up leftover rice.  The recipe actually calls for Minute Rice, but I have always just used leftover rice.

I was in a great hurry the night I cooked this for my family, so I didn't even pause to take a "before" picture of any ingredients! ; )

This is the recipe out of the magazine.  I will explain how I did it a little differently as I go through it.

Creamy Rice with Peas and Mushrooms:
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup Italian dressing (I used sun-dried tomato vinaigrette)
1 pkg (8 oz) mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth  (I really need to find a good vegetable broth!)
1 cup peas (I used almost 2 cups)
2 c. Minute Rice, uncooked (I use leftover rice and use about one cup less broth)
4 oz cream cheese (I use nufchatel--less calories and fat!)
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Cook onion in dressing 4-5 minutes. (I extend the cooking time a little so that the onions are softer.  Nothing incites riot at the dinner table like crunchy onions!)

Add mushrooms.  Cook 3-4 minutes until tender.  Add broth (use only 1/2 cup if rice is already cooked) and peas.  Bring to boil.  Add rice and cream cheese.  Cover.  Remove from heat.  Let stand 8 minutes.  Stir in lemon peel and parmesan before serving.

 

I happen to have peppers coming out my ears, so I sauteed some up and put them over the top.  They were delicious!!  ...at least to me and my hubby!

***I add my rice at the same time as the cream cheese, but I just stir and heat until it is warmed through.  If your rice is already cooked, then you don't have to let it stand so it can absorb all the liquid.  If you happened to use a little too much broth, just keep it on the stove and let it boil off a bit.  This is a really easy recipe that turns out great every time.
Go easy on the lemon peel if you don't love that flavor.  And be warned:  your leftovers will taste more like lemon as time goes by.