Sundried Tomato and Spinach Risotto

I love making risotto!  A lot of people think it's a very difficult dish to make, so the only time they have it is if they're at a restaurant.  I like to think that over the years I've "perfected" my risotto and now I make it fairly often.  Hopefully I've been able to explain it so you too can make it at home without being intimidated.  You can surprise your spouse and/or dinner guests with a restaurant quality dish without spending $15 a plate!  In this recipe I used spinach and sundried tomato since I had them both on hand, but feel free to substitute other ingredients.  Enjoy!

Sundried Tomato and Spinach Risotto
(4 main course servings or 8 side-dish servings)

1 medium yellow onion, cut in a small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1/2 bag of pre-washed baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine (I usually use pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
48 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbl unsalted butter
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese



In a saucepan, heat the chicken broth on medium heat.  Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and lightly cover the bottom of the pan with extra-virgin olive oil.  Saute the onion until it is translucent.  Add the sundried tomatoes and garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.  Make sure the garlic doesn't burn.  If the pan looks dry, add a little more olive oil.  Add the rice to the pan and saute for approximately 3 minutes or until it starts to turn golden in color.  Next add the wine and stir.  When the wine has all evaporated, add in 1 cup of chicken broth and stir.  Let the broth fully absorb into the rice before adding more.  Keep adding the chicken broth 1 cup at a time until the rice is al dente - tender but not mushy (you have to taste the rice as you go along).  When the rice is al dente, add another 1/2 cup of chicken broth and stir in the spinach leaves.  Next, stir in the butter.  Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the parmesan.  Enjoy!

25th Anniversary Salad

For my parents' 25th Anniversary, I wanted to do something really special and sentimental. I knew it would mean a lot more to them if their children (and son-in-law) cooked for them, rather than pay for dinner at a nice restaurant. My husband, my 4 brothers, and I all worked hard to create the perfect night for them. We set up a "restaurant" in our basement and wined and dined mom and dad with some of their favorites. The following salad was the first course. It is a little bit labor-intensive, but sooo worth it. Most of the work can be done in advance so you can just put it all together when it's time to eat. I hope you enjoy it as much as they did!

25th Anniversary Salad

(Serves 4)

1 bag of pre-washed mixed greens

4 slices of pancetta

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 lb 16-20 count shrimp (peeled and deviened, tails removed)

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (if you don't like a little kick, you can omit this)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

4 parmesan baskets (1 cup of parmesan, recipe below)

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place each slice of pancetta on a broiler pan. Crisp in the oven, flipping them over every 5 minutes until dark brown (be careful not to burn!). When cool, chop into matchstick-size pieces. Next, place a piece of parchment paper on a buttered baking sheet - the butter will keep the parchment stick from moving around when you're placing the parmesan on top. To make the parmesan baskets, sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesan into the shape of a circle. Repeat 3 more times (to make 4 total bowls). Place in the oven and let melt. Remove from the oven when the parmesan starts to turn slightly golden - approximately 6 minutes. The next part is a little tricky. Place 4 drinking glasses upside down and very carefully invert each parmesan circle over them. Gently mold each basket around the bottom of the glasses and keep them there until they are cool. You have to do this while the parmesan is still warm so it can mold into a basket.

Everything up until this point can be done in advance. 5 minutes before you serve the salad, place a saute pan over medium high heat. Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil in the pan and let it heat up. Season the shrimp with the salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne. Saute the shrimp for approximately 2 minutes on each side until done. When you are ready to serve the salad, place the mixed greens in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the desired amount of vinaigrette on top and toss. Next, place each parmesan basket on a plate and fill with the dressed greens. Place the cherry tomatoes and crispy pancetta on top of the greens. Place equal amounts of shrimp on each salad and serve.

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

1 head of garlic (with the top cut off)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbl dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

*It's best to make this several hours before using so that it can fully flavor*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the head of garlic in a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the garlic with foil and roast for at least 30 minutes. The garlic is ready when it's soft and starting to turn a slight caramel color. Let cool. Remove 5 cloves of garlic by squeezing them out of their skins (this should be very easy if properly roasted). Place those along with the balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard in a blender. Cover and blend. While blending, slowly pour the olive oil in the top of the blender so it emulsifies with the other ingredients. When finished blending, taste the dressing and add your desired amount of salt and pepper. Remember, though, that the flavor of the dressing will develop a lot more over the next few hours, so be careful not to over-season...you can always add more salt and pepper before serving. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Dinner Date at Sage

My husband and I had a rare treat last night...a date! My mom was nice enough to watch the fishies while we went out to dinner and then bowling with some friends. For dinner, we chose to go to a favorite restaurant of ours, Sage Urban American Grill. It is located in St. Louis, right next to the Anheuser Busch brewery.

Sage was hopping when we arrived, so the hostess directed us to a nice booth at the bar. We started off with a few cocktails and my husband was ecstatic when the bartender was heavy-handed with his whiskey on-the-rocks. I decided to go for a nice summer drink and ordered coconut rum with pineapple juice. Mom and dad's night out was off to a great start!

We decided to split an appetizer and my sweet hubby let me pick. I chose the Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp. The thought of a cold refreshing spring roll filled with crunchy carrots, soft noodles, perfectly sauteed shrimp, and the herbaceous combination of basil, cilantro, and mint had me drooling with anticipation. I was definitely NOT disappointed when the 4 beautiful pieces arrived. They were accompanied by a delicious peanut sauce with a bit of a kick. I have to admit that even after the spring rolls were gone, I kept dipping my fork into the addicting sauce.

Next, came the entrees. Before I go to a restaurant, I almost always check their website to scope out the menu. Since I did this the day before we went, I already had an idea of what I would order (unless the specials swayed me in a different direction). My husband picked the seafood special for the night: blackened escolar served over fettucine with mussels, red pepper, and chipotle butter sauce. I excitedly ordered the applewood-smoked pork tenderloin, served with creamed corn, sauteed spinach, chipotle cheddar mashed potatoes, and crispy shoestring potatoes.

When our plates arrived, my husband and I both immediately leaned over our plates to smell the deliciousness. I couldn't wait to dig in! My pork had a great smoky flavor and was perfectly moist and tender. The creamed corn was so sweet and fresh - not heavy at all. The chipotle cheddar mashed potatoes were perfectly creamy and the shoestring potatoes added the perfect amount of texture to the dish. The spinach was perfectly cooked and provided a nice light taste to break-up the richness of everything. My husband's dish was fabulous as well. The fettucine was served with four mussels surrounding the plate and a rather large piece of escolar on top. The fish was one of the moistest pieces of fish I've ever tasted and the chipotle butter sauce was just the right complement to the seafood.

At this point, we had both finished our entire plates and were so stuffed that we had zero intentions of ordering dessert (even though we both have a sweet tooth). One of the best parts about Sage, though, is their mini-desserts. When our waitress approached the table with a tray of oversized shot glasses filled with all different kids of yumminess, we knew we couldn't resist. The size of the shot glasses was probably equivalent to the only room left in our stomachs and for $2, who could say no? I decided on the decadent chocolate truffle and my husband (aka the cookie monster) chose the cookies and cream. My dessert was rich chocolate cake layered with whipped cream and chocolate ganache...heaven! My husband's dessert was basically a cookies and cream mousse. He was so thrilled that it tasted exactly like an Oreo.

By the time we left, I was so happy that I had worn a dress; if I had on anything with a button, it would most definitely had been undone as soon as we got in the car. The food and service were excellent and we will most definitely be going back to Sage again and again. Thank goodness we went bowling afterward so I could burn off some of those calories!

Simple Summer Chicken

Last night I had all intentions of making some crunchy panko-crusted chicken breasts. After an afternoon in the 95+ degree heat, I had no energy to go through the breading process and no desire to heat up the kitchen. Since it was so close to dinnertime, I had to think of something quick to do with the pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts sitting in my fridge. Remembering the large amount of lemons and limes I purchased in the euphoria of cheap produce at the farmers' market, I decided to make a quick citrus marinade. A freezer bag, a lemon, a lime, fresh garlic, olive oil, and some salt and pepper later...success! It's the perfect light, yet super-flavorful summer chicken!

Simple Summer Chicken
(Serves 5)

5 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a freezer bag and close securely (make sure to get out as much air as possible). Then, massage the outside of the bag so all the ingredients are well incorporated. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!