News Taffy

Most people don’t realize what a foodie I am and how much I love to eat. Yes, I preach healthy eating and I mostly adhere to it but food consumes a great deal of my thoughts. What to cook, new recipes, the weekly menu, going out to eat, what food is in season, what can I make next. If cooking or eating interests you this much, you are reading the right blog today.

I have to brag just a bit and say that I outdid myself cooking this past weekend and yes, I’m going to share recipes and photos with you. Weekends tend to be the time when I get more creative and try more complex recipes, though most of my cooking remains simple. A couple of years ago, my husband and I were in Atlanta where my niece lives. She took us to Sotto Sotto, an Italian restaurant where she recommended the mushroom risotto. It was sublime and has stood out in my mind as a truly memorable meal. Lately I found myself wanting to recreate that meal at home so I did some research and decided to combine several risotto recipes. My mushroom risotto may not be quite as good as that at Sotto Sotto but I think it came darn close.

Here are the recipes for our dinner on Saturday night:

Honeydew Melon Salad

INGREDIENTS
*1 honeydew cut into wedges
*blackberries or blueberries
*feta cheese

DIRECTIONS
Place honeydew wedges on a salad plate. Add a few blackberries around it and sprinkle with feta crumbles. I told you I keep most food simple.

Mushroom Risotto

INGREDIENTS
*2 Tbsp. olive oil
*1/3 cup sliced shallots
*2 to 3 cups mixed mushrooms such as portabello, shitake and button, sliced thin
*1 cup dry white wine, if desired
*1 cup heavy cream
*6 to 7 cups chicken broth
*2 cups aborio rice
*1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
*1 tsp. salt
*1 tsp. pepper
*2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
Add oil to a large, deep skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add shallots and mushrooms and stir 5 to 7 minutes till softened. Add rice and stir then begin adding liquid a bit at a time, stirring till absorbed then adding more liquid. Start with the wine if using, then the chicken broth. Cook and stir for about 30 to 40 minutes. Test a bite of rice and if it is tender, add the heavy cream and stir well. If not tender, add more liquid and continue stirring. Add salt, pepper, parsley and parmesan and stir till well mixed. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 dinner portions. Risotto is not hard but it does take time and patience.

I served a nice crusty bread with it as well. Since this is such a heavy, rich dish, I kept the salad really light. I also made a Very Berry Peach Pie which uses several fresh fruits. If you would like the recipe for the pie, check out my other blog at thecardiologistswife.blogspot.com.

So yes, the cardiologist’s family eats high calorie, high fat foods once in awhile. Because we exercise and don’t eat heavy fatty foods everyday, we can indulge with our favorite foods. The trick is not to do it often and to eat well most of the time.

-Lisa