Classic Risotto

Let me start off by saying - this picture does NOT do this dish justice.  This was one of those meals where I was sooo ready to eat, that I didn't take the time to get a good pic AND by the time I was actually able to sit down and eat, the rice had gotten a little cold and was not all creamy looking like it was when I was eating it straight from the pot earlier.  If you have kids, you know how it is...this one needs milk, this one needs another fork, this one needs their meat cut up....and mom gets cold food.  But whatev, this was my first time making risotto, and it was DELISH!  Even my girls loved it - which was quite a shock to me, as it has onions in it!

I just went with the classic risotto, b/c I had never made it before, and I was a little intimidated by it.  I'm not sure why, but risotto has always been made out to be a difficult, labor intensive dish.  Let me just tell ya...it. is. not. hard.  If I can swing it...you're golden.  The only trouble I had was that it does require frequent stirring, and I was trying to cook chicken on the grill at the same time (b/c my husband was late getting home from work!).  So, I had my girls taking turns stirring as I ran outside to check the grill.  Which is another reason my risotto is all thick in my pic.  It was done before my chicken and sat on the stove a little bit.  Which is why the girls and I ate half of it out of the pot before we ever sat down to dinner!  It was the bomb.com :)

So on with the recipe why don't cha...I used the recipe on the back of the arborio rice (which is finally available at my local Wal-Mart, where I buy a bulk of my groceries.)

Classic Risotto

1 cup Arborio Rice

2 T. butter

1 large onion, chopped (I used abt half )

1 t. garlic salt (I used garlic powder & a pinch of salt)

1/2 cup dry white wine (I only had Moscato - used it anyway!)

3 cups hot chicken broth (had homemade stock in the freezer)

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

fresh ground pepper

In a heavy saucepan, saute rice in 1 T. butter, stirring constantly.  Add onion and garlic salt.  Saute until onion is tender.   Add wine and saute until absorbed.  Slowly add 1 cup of hot broth, stirring frequently.  As the liquid cooks down, continue to add remainder of hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until all broth is used and the mixture is very creamy.  Fold in cheese, pepper and remaining butter.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

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This is definitely going to make a regular appearance on our dinner table! Next time, I'll make sure to get a good pic, b/c it is really creamy and delicious!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend.  Mine was great!  I took the kids and headed East to my parents house, and we celebrated my Dad's one year transplant anniversary!  Mr. Three had his first boat ride, and the girls had a ball playing in the water.  The last thing my Dad and I did together before he was diagnosed with Leukemia was go for a ride in his new boat.  He had my brother sell that boat while he was sick, and we didn't know if he would ever be able to enjoy things like that again.  So on Saturday, when my Dad took me and the kids, and my mom, for a boat ride (almost 2 years later) I was overwhelmed with emotions...joyful, blessed, feeling that things had come full circle.  I keep praying everyday that he can continue to be cancer free and enjoy life.

Sorry, this post was supposed to be about rice, but the weekend was just too awesome not to share!

Linking up today with Delightfully Dowling, A Southern Fairytale, Skip to my Lou - go visit for some awesome recipes!  I have more recipes saved than I'll ever be able to make!

And check out Biz's blog for Week 2 of 101 Days of Summer Challenge!  You can see how me and everyone else in the challenge has done this past week!  I've been exercising, almost everyday, but the stupid scale is not reflecting it.  It's discouraging, as I like instant gratification!  I'm thinking about Weight Watchers online...anyone tried this before?