Fresh veggie risotto

This recipe is for 4. Save the leftovers in a zip lock bag in the freezer for a “just heat it up meal” for someday when you just don’t feel like cooking or don’t have the time.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small carrot peeled and diced
1 cup rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups hot chicken stock
1 cup broccoli florets
3/4 cup frozen peas thawed to room temp (if you’re short on time just run some cold water over them)
1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
1 cup fresh green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
1/3 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or ricotta or feta crumbled or whatever)
1 tablespoon dried parsley (or basil)

Put the peas out to thaw. Chop up the veggies. Put the stock on the stove (med. heat) to get hot. Reduce it to hold it at simmering.

The veggies, all except for the onion and garlic, are all optional. I’ve done it often with just the peas. You just have to remember to put carrots, if you decide to use them, in with the onions and garlic to let them cook with the rice.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 1-1/2 minutes. Pour in the rice, and stir until all the rice is coated in oil. Stir in the white wine.
Cook and stir until the wine has reduced to half, then stir in one third of the simmering chicken stock; continue stirring until mostly absorbed by the rice. Repeat this process twice more, stirring constantly. Stirring in the broth should take maybe 15 minutes in all. If you run out of stock before the rice is done you can water instead. Add the broccoli, peas, zucchini, and green beans during the last 5 minutes of cooking, and cook until rice is tender. Stir in the cheese and parsley before serving.
I’ve, at times, added cut up leftover, thawed, cooked chicken or shrimp to this when I add the veggies.

YOU’RE GOOD!!!! SERVE IT UP WITH SOME ITALIN BREAD AND THE REST OF THE BOTTLE (or 2) OF WHITE WINE!!!

Lemon and garlic roasted chicken

quick and easy meals for 1 or 2

If you have a busy schedule and live alone or with 1 other, nice meals that are quick and easy might keep you from doing packaged or fast food. You will enjoy your meals more, eat healthier and impress your "other". I'll be posting new recipes and advice to save you from the fast food syndrom.

It’s Sunday and you have a little more time. You want to have a little bit more of a special meal for a real “sit down” dinner.

This is easy and makes you look like a chef.

If you don’t already have one, get a meat thermometer. If it’s time to cook and you don’t have one I’ll tell you how to tell when it’s done. But, get a meat thermometer for the future chicken, turkey and pork roasting.

1 whole chicken
4 cloves garlic lightly smashed (just enough to break the skin
1 lemon
3 Tbsp. White wine
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
tooth picks
salt
pepper

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Throw away the neck and gizzards. Rub the outside and the inside with salt and pepper. Put inside the chicken, the garlic, the lemon cut in half, the wine and the rosemary. Seal up the front and the back openings with the toothpicks to keep the liquids inside the little guy. Put in a roasting pan or an all metal fry pan and put in the oven. When you have about 175 on the meat thermometer or if when you poke the breast with a cooks fork little or no liquid comes out and what does is clear or when you pry a leg away from the body there is no pink and it is moist but no liquids to be seen, remove from the oven and let sit about 10 minutes before cutting up.

2 med to large potatoes (depends on if you have company or not)
4 pats of butter
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. grated cheese

After about an hour of chicken in the oven time.
Cut the potatoes in half lengthways first and then into thick slices.
The chicken is going to take about an hour and a half, so, after about an hour put them on the stove covered with water. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat a little if necessary to keep from boiling over. When done ( tender when poked with a fork) strain and return to the pot. Put in the butter, cheese and parsley and mix it up. If the chicken isn’t done yet, put the pot on top of the stove with a little water in the bottom of the pot and a cover of some kind and very low heat ‘til ready to serve.

A handful of fresh green beans per serving, with the stem end trimmed off.
1 Tbsp. of sliced almonds per serving (optional)
1 pat of butter per serving

After about 5 minutes of potato cooking time.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add some salt and the beans. When the beans are almost done enough to eat, strain and return to the pot. Put in the butter and the almonds. If the chicken isn’t done, put on a very low burner with a little water in the bottom and covered ‘til we have all the dishes ready to go.

Whack up the chicken.


SERVE IT UP!!!!! With some crusty bread and the rest of that white wine!!!!




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