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Friday Confessional: I'm McLovin' My New Kitchen! {plus a recipe}

Friday, March 15, 2013

 photo HighHeeledLove_zpsbbcc137c.jpg
I confess...
I confess I've been spending a LOT of time in the kitchen lately.  :D  I'm loving it!

I confess...
I confess that I burn way too many candles.  I love nice fragrances!


Geranium bourbon candle


I confess...
I confess that I cooked a gourmet recipe from the Uptown Acorn blog.  I confess that it had more than $10 worth of cheese in it.  :/   I made it for Shelley because she loves Mac & Cheese!




I confess...
I confess I had to do something to make up for the grocery budget deficit form the Mac & Cheese.

I confess...
I confess that I don't like leftovers.  But I found a great solution!


This is one of my favorite risotto recipes!


Risotto with Leeks and Sugar Snaps


Ingredients:
5 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb. sugar snap peas, strings removed
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 oz. pancetta, minced
2 leeks, white and light green portions, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 Tbs. minced fresh tarragon
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Coarse kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
In a saucepan over high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and cook until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sugar snap peas to a bowl and set aside. Reduce the heat to low.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the pancetta and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until opaque, about 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add about 3/4 cup of the hot broth; adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles and is absorbed slowly. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking, adding the liquid about 3/4 cup at a time and stirring frequently, until the rice is just tender but slightly firm in the center and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the sugar snap peas, cheese, tarragon and a generous amount of pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh & Fast, by Kristine Kidd (Williams-Sonoma, 2011).




What to do with the leftovers, you ask?

Turn any leftovers into risotto cakes: For 3 to 4 cups of risotto, mix in 1 egg yolk and 1/3 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs). Using wet hands, form the mixture into 2-inch balls, then flatten into rounds 3/4 inch thick. Dip the cakes into beaten egg and coat with more panko, then brown in olive oil, about 4 minutes per side.


I served the risotto cakes over slaw with Creamy Miso dressing.

Join Aubrey @ High Heeled Love for Friday Confessional.

I hope y'all have a great weekend!

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

16 comments

  1. I confess, I eat mac and cheese even though I promised myself no more! This family loves it, and I think it's Connors favorite food. I love candles too, burn them all the time. I love the way a good candle makes the house smell.
    Have a wonderful weekend RJ. Eighty degrees plus, bet you'll be on a boat, and I'm going to the garden shop...........

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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  2. I confess I loved reading this post. I copied that mac/chs recipe from Ron, too. I am guessing it was worth every penny spent! I always have a candle going here, too. xo Diana

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  3. I confess I ate a bag of potato chips today, lol..I love burning candles too honey, they're so lovely and yes, the best part is to be in the kitchen, specially a beautiful one like yours! Enjoy the weather and have a happy St. Pat's weekend.
    FABBY

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  4. We are all confessing I see! I confess...I have never cooked risotto. I've had it in restaurants but I have no idea how to make it! I love lots of candles, too! Hugs!

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  5. I confess that I have thought of flying down your way to see that beauty of a kitchen in person! lol.!

    Thanks for the recipes, they sound delicious!

    Happy Weekend!

    XO,
    Jane

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  6. RJ, I'd be spending time in that beautiful kitchen too. '-)
    I confess that I've been in the garden the past week. Getting so much done and hope the garden is ready for spring by the end of the weekend. Feels so good to get this out of the way.
    Happy St. Patrick's Day .........Sarah

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  7. LOL I love all the confessing going on! ;P

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  8. yep your hired
    that last dish looks so good I want some!!!
    Amy

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  9. Mmmmm, the risotto looks yummy enough, but those risotto cakes look super yummy!

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  10. I confess that you have officially managed to make me hungry first thing in the morning. Love the gourmet mac and cheese. And risotto is one of my favorites, but we rarely have leftovers.

    Thanks for joining the Friday Confessional party! Have a fabulous weekend!

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  11. I love risotto. It's been forever since I cooked it though. Love how you turned the leftovers into something else.

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  12. I confess that I am sitting here having fun reading blogs, even though I need to do some work :)

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  13. Mmmm I love risotto :) Mac and cheese.. I confess, I had some too the other day. It's a favorite of mine on a grey day (and we've had lots of those recently here in Seattle!).

    xxleslie

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  14. You had me at risotto! :)
    Here's a good mac-n-cheese trick for Shelley: boil the noodles in slightly-watered-down milk. It makes them somewhat gluey, but also creamier.

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  15. I love cheese. It seems like when I buy the good stuff it's at least $10.

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  16. Oh my goodness I am hungry now, and am fairly certain that nothing I whip up is going to compare to any of those three dishes...yum yum Ricki!

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I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

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