Tasty Tuesdays: Spring Green Risotto

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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I have a question for you guys - How can I add a "Print Recipe" link on my posts?  I've seen this feature on several of your blogs but don't know how to do it!

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I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend.  Don't you love how it's Tuesday but feels like Monday?  This weekend I went out to dinner with my Mom, Aunts, and Uncle { Hi Aunt Mary!  Hi Aunt Terri!  Hi Uncle Paul! }.  My Mom and her sisters were going to see Bob Seger in concert, but my Uncle and I were just there for dinner.  We went to Bar Divani, a wine bar in Grand Rapids.  My Aunt & I ordered a risotto with roasted red peppers and snap peas.  It was so delicious that I decided that I needed to make a risotto the next day.  I googled "spring risotto" and came up with this one from Ina Garten.  Wow, is all I can say.  This is one of the best things I have made in a while.  I loved this and know I will make it many more times.  It is easy to make - just takes a little prep time and arm muscles to stir the risotto.  If this even sounds remotely good to you, do yourself a favor and make it!

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{ convenient how all the ingredient colors match my blog, isn't it? }
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Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil

- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

- 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)

- 1 cup chopped fennel

- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

- 2/3 cup dry white wine

- 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock {I used vegetable stock}

- 1 pound thin asparagus

- 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas

- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

- 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

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Preparation:

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1.  Prep all ingredients first.  This will make your risotto cooking so much easier.

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{ prep in progress }

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2.  Cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water and set aside. {If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.}

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3.  Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

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4.  When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.  I ended up using a total of 4 cups of stock.

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5.  Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl {I did this ahead of time while I was prepping the other ingredients}. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

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Click here to see Ina's original recipe.  I can't wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow!

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What did you cook this week?

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{ Please remember to add a link in your post back to this post or add the Tasty Tuesdays button to your post; you can find the button & code on my sidebar.  Thanks! }

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Spring Finally Showed Up...

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Spring took it's sweet time showing up in Michigan this year.  I really can't remember a time when Spring has been so  late.  The trees were brown and barren for so long!  Finally though, Spring made an appearance and now everything is green and growing.

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The first hint of green on the trees:

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I took that photo a few weeks ago, luckily the leaves are fully opened now.

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I don't know if it was the cooler weather, or what, but I had so many tulips this year.  Just about ready to bloom:

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Finally blooming:

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I used flowers from my yard to fill these little bud vases.  I had these out at the table when my Mom came over for Mother's Day dinner.

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A beautiful bleeding heart in my Mom's yard:

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Nothing says Spring like yellow daffodils!
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My Mom & I have a tradition of going to the greenhouses together to buy all of our flowers every year.  It's honestly one of my favorite days of the year!  I love being surrounded by all those plants.  I've been know to go a little crazy and buy way more than I need, so I really tried to show a little restraint this year.  That didn't stop us from filling up the car though!

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Here are my peonies earlier in the month.  I'm always amazed at how fast they grow.

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And here they are yesterday - almost ready to bloom.

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This blooming tree is right next to my deck in the back yard.  The white blooms are so pretty.

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It is finally warm enough to put out the hanging baskets.  I think I put them out this year maybe a whole month later than I have before.

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I buy my baskets every year from K Gardens in Byron Center.  If you are in Grand Rapids I highly recommend them.  Their baskets are the best!  They also sell @ the farmers market (Fulton St.).

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A few other Spring blooms from my Mom's yard.  A beautiful iris:

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And allium:

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And now, I'm ready for Summer to show up! 

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Tasty Tuesdays: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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I went to Chicago last weekend to visit my sister and made these to bring with me.  Somehow though, we never even got a chance to eat them.  I think we were too stuffed each night when we got home to eat another thing!  We had lots of fun, went shopping, ate at some of our favorite restaurants, and had drinks one night at the Trump.  Our drinks were the only photograph I took all weekend!

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I saw the recipe for the peanut butter cups in the Parade Magazine in my Sunday paper one week.  The recipe is from Alicia Silverstone and is included in her book, The Kind Diet.  Her version is vegan, but I adapted it to a non-vegan version so I could use ingredients I already had on hand.  For the original recipe, click here.

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Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup butter

- 3/4 cup peanut butter; crunchy or plain (I use natural pb)

- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 10 squares)

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)

- 1/4 cup milk

- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, pecans, or almonds

Preparation:
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1.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

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2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium. Stir in peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar; mix well. Remove from heat. Divide mixture evenly among muffin cups, about 2 Tbsp per cup.
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3. Combine chocolate and milk in another saucepan. Stir over medium until chocolate has melted. Spoon evenly over peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

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{ Makes 12 }

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If you like peanut butter you are going to love these!

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What did you cook this week?

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{ Please add a link in your post back to Tasty Tuesdays or add the Tasty Tuesdays button to your post which can be found on my sidebar.  Thanks! } 

Tasty Tuesdays: Tagliatelle with Prosciutto & Orange

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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Last week on my lunch hour a I stopped by a local bookstore and picked up a copy of Bon Appetit.  The front cover said it was their Italy issue so I couldn't resist.  Everything in the issue looks delicious but the one I tackled first is an unusual combination of ingredients.  Bon Appetit's description of the recipe:  "Two seemingly disparate ingredients pair perfectly in this brightly flavored and creamy sauce."  I'm sure this recipe isn't for everyone, but the flavors were so interesting and tasted delicious together.

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{ Recipe from David Downie / Bon Appetit magazine; May 2011.  Click here to see the original recipe }

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Ingredients:

- 12 oz. egg tagliatelle or fettuccine

- 2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

- 2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1" pieces

- Zest and juice of 1 orange

- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

- Freshly ground black pepper

- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

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1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute before al dente.  Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.

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2.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto; sauté until browned, about 3 minutes.

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3.  Add reserved pasta water, orange juice, half of zest, and cream; bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and divide among warm bowls.  Top with additional cheese, if desired.

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What did you cook this week?

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{Please remember to add a link in your post back to this post or add the Tasty Tuesdays button to your post.  Thanks! }

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My Favorite Spring Flower: Grape Hyacinth

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The Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) has long been my favorite Spring flower.  I love their bright purple-blue color and I love, love, love their scent.  Oh my gosh, it's intoxicating.  Looking at these photos, I can almost smell it. 

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The flowers may be small, but clustered tightly together they can have a big impact.

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Grape Hyacinths have always reminded me of my Grandma.  I can remember her cutting them for me and wrapping them in a damp paper towel so I could take them home.  You know how a certain scent can bring you back to a memory?  That's what the smell of Grape Hyacinths do to me - they bring me right back to her kitchen.

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{ my nightstand }

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Growing in my Mom's yard:

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And a few in mine:

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Grape Hyacinths are grown from bulbs and can be planted in the Fall.  If you'd like to learn more about Grape Hyacinths check out this link. 

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Do you have a favorite Spring flower?

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{ I have finally updated the Photography tab at the top of my blog.  Take a look if you are interested in what camera I use! }

Screen Porch - Ready for Summer!

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It's finally warmed up enough to feel like Spring.  This week we have actually had Summer like temperatures.  It feels great!

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All of my outdoor furniture is out of the garage and outside.

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Here's the empty screen porch:

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And my new outdoor rug:

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The rug is the Laney Indoor / Outdoor rug from Ballard.  You can find it right here.

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And here are a few photos of the porch with all the furniture out:

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I'm so happy it's finally warm enough to use the screen porch - it's like adding a whole other room to my house.  I'm headed to the greenhouses this weekend to stock it with plants.

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Sources:

- Furniture:  Pier One, 5 years ago

- Wood Table:  Target; Smith & Hawken, 3 years ago

- Pillows:  All made by me; fabric all from Joann over the last couple of years

- Rug:  Ballard Designs, Laney Indoor/Outdoor Rug

- Lanterns:  Meijers, 2010

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