Sun Dried Tomato & Mozarella Risotto

Sun Dried Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto


5 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the stock to a simmer. While the stock is heating, drain the sun-dried tomatoes and reserve the oil. Chop the tomatoes coarsely and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil from the tomatoes, add onion and saute until translucent; about 6 minutes.

Add rice to the frying pan and stir to coat with oil; let heat about 2 minutes.

Over medium high heat, spoon a ladleful of stock into the frying pan and cook the mixture on low until all the stock is absorbed; about 2 minutes stirring frequently. Continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy, approximately 20 to 25 minutes;
stirring frequently.

Add the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil from the tomatoes, chopped basil, and salt and pepper. Mix well and serve.

Pasta with Asparagus

This pasta dish showcases the simplicity of its ingredients, resulting in an extremely tasty meal.

5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 dashes Hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup olive
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 pound mostaccioli or gemmeli, cooked and drained

In a skillet, cook garlic, red pepper flakes and hot pepper sauce in oil and butter for 2-3 minutes.

Add asparagus, salt and pepper; saute until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese; mix well.

Pour over hot pasta and toss to coat; serve immediately.

Cooking Dried Beans

Cover beans with cold water and soak them overnight.

Drain well and then cook according to your recipe.

Do not use the soaking liquid to cook your beans in, always start
with fresh unsalted water.

Lemon Cream Fettuccine

Lemon Cream Fettuccine

1 lb fettuccine
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2/3 cup onion, finely minced
3/4 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh only
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp Italian parsley, minced
2 tsp fresh basil, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the fettuccine al dente. Mix the parsley and basil. Mix
the olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter in a saute pan.
Cut the rest of the butter into thin pats and let sit at room temperature.

Add the onions and cook slowly until they start to turn color.
Add the lemon juice and raise the heat. Reduce until about 2/3rds of the liquid remains.

Add the lemon zest and whisk in the rest of the butter to make a creamy sauce.
Immediately pour it over the fettuccine.

Sprinkle the parsley and basil over the top and serve immediately.

Note:
This dish is rich, creamy and needs no enhancements. For
those who insist, pass freshly grated parmesan on the side.

Frijoles (Mexican Beans)

Homemade Mexican beans make an excellent accompaniment to any Mexican or Tex Mex meal.

2 cups dried pinto beans
Water to cover
1/2 pound salt pork
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

Soak beans in water overnight. Pour off soaking water and add
fresh water to cover. Add salt pork, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin and
oregano.

Simmer on low heat at least 4 hours or until water is absorbed and
mixture is thick.

Taste and correct seasoning if necessary.

Rice Pilaf with Peas

3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, uncooked
2 threads saffron
1 teaspoon dried chives

In saucepan, saute onion in butter until onion is tender and lightly golden. Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in rice and cover.

Return to a boil, reduce heat, add peas, saffron and dried chives and cook for about 20 minutes. Do NOT peek !

Parmesan Cheese Rinds add flavor

If you´re using fresh parmesan cheese in your cooking, which I hope you are, DON´T throw out the rind when
the cheese is used.

Instead, save it and next time you´re making pasta sauce add in the rind as the sauce is simmering.

This adds a wonderful robust flavor to your sauce and it´s economical too.

This also works well when making Hearty Minestrone soup.

Fluffy Rice

Ensure that you get fluffy rice everytime.

Add about a teaspoon of cider vinegar to the cooking water before adding the rice.

Freezing Rice

Cook and cool rice, package in large plastic
freezer safe bags.

Freezing cooked rice makes for quick to fix meals
later; it is especially good to use for stir frys,
fried rice or pilafs.

Wild Rice & Spicy Pecans

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups wild rice
3/4 cup pecan pieces
2/3 cup cranberries
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the water, bay leaves, salt and pepper to
taste in a pot with a snug-fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Add the rice,
reduce to a simmer, and cook 40 to 45 minutes.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a saute pan and saute over low heat
until the nuts have toasted lightly.

Remove from the heat and combine with the cooked wild rice.

How much water

To properly cook pasta, use 1 gallon of water per pound of pasta being cooked.

Tex Mex Rice

This rice preparation makes an excellent side dish for Enchiladas, Burritos or Tacos.

3 cups hot cooked rice
16 ounces red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve hot.

Stuffing Manicotti

To make the job of stuffing manicotti shells easier, place your filling in a pastry bag without a tip.

Twist the top of the bag to close, and squeeze the filling into the cooked manicotti shell.

Vegetable Chopping

When preparing vegetables for pasta sauces, make sure to cut the vegetables into approximately the same size as the pasta being used. This helps it to stay on the pasta and not fall to the bottom.

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

A rich and filling pasta dish, even those who don´t like spinach will like this!

8 dried cannelloni tubes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh herb sprigs to garnish.
***Filling***
2 Tablespoons butter
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped ham
1 Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt & pepper
***Sauce***
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups milk
2 bay leaves
1 Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

To make the filling, melt the butter in a pan and stir fry the spinach for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses and the ham. Season with nutmeg, salt & pepper. Beat in the cream and eggs to make a thick paste.

Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and the oil and cook for 10-12 minutes, until almost tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a pan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the milk. Add bay leaves and simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg, salt & pepper. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves.

Spoon the filling into a piping bag and fill the cannelloni.

Spoon a little sauce into the base of an oven proof dish. Arrange the cannelloni in the dish in a single layer and pour over the remaining sauce. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Sour Sauce

If your pasta sauce is too sour or acidic tasting, add a pinch of sugar.

Pumpkin Risotto

Serve this wonderful Risotto as the main course with a salad and some fresh crusty Italian Bread or use it as a side served with grilled fish or chicken.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin, grated
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 cup arborio rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, as needed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan over moderately low heat and keep at
simmer.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and
saute about 8 minutes, or until soft but not brown.

Add the pumpkin and saute another 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute, stirring
constantly, for about a minute.

Slowly add the broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently.
Don´t add more broth until all the liquid has been absorbed. After 2 cups of broth have been absorbed, the rice should be
tender; add more broth if needed.

Stir in the Parmesan Cheese & chopped sage. Taste and adjust the seasoning adding salt and pepper as desired.
Serve immediately.

To Soak or Not to Soak?

Dried beans that are soaked overnight will cook much faster.