Delicious Dish - Veggie Risotto You Would Never Know Is Vegan

If fall clothes are making there way out, our favorite “cold weather” recipes should too. This looks delicous and a welcome change from pasta and quinoa.

This recipe is from Diana of Dianasaur Dishes.

(serves 4-6)

Ingredients

• 4 cups vegetable stock
  4 stalk asparagus
  1 red bell pepper
  4 mushrooms (button, cremini, etc.)
  1 TBS Olive Oil
  2 cloves garlic minced
  4 green onion stalks chopped
  1 sprig of fresh thyme
  1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
  2 TBS olive oil
  1 cup Arborio rice
  ¼ cup white wine
  sea salt and pepper to taste
  a few drops high quality truffle oil
  2 TBS freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Instructions:

Heat the vegetable stock on the stove and keep it on warm. Chop your asparagus into 1 inch pieces, bell pepper into 1 inch slices, and mushrooms into about 8 slices. Heat 1 TBS oil in a frying pan on med-high, add half of garlic and green onions, sauté for one minute but don’t let the garlic burn. Add veggies and sauté for another 3-4 minutes or until they’re slightly softened. Remove veggies to a plate.

Add 2 TBS oil to the frying pan, heat on medium. Add remaining garlic and green onion, add rice. Mix well to get rice completely coated with oil. Add white wine and mix. When it’s nearly evaporated begin adding heated vegetable stock a ladle full at a time. Continually stir the rice and as the stock is nearly all absorbed add some more. Continue this process.

The rice will begin to swell and get creamy. As you approach using the last of the stock, begin testing the rice (you don’t want to use too much stock and make it mushy). As the rice is absorbing the last of the stock return the veggies to the pan and mix them in. Turn off the heat and drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with cheese. Mix once more and serve.

{via the lovely maryrambin}

HOW TO MAKE…..BEER POPSICLES!! 

What You Need

Materials
6 wooden skewers, sticks or plastic utensils
1 bowl for each can of beer
6 plastic party cups (optional)

Instructions

1. Open Cans: There are two methods to making these popsicles. The first is made in the can where you’ll have to remove some of the beer before adding in the extras (see: drink). You’ll want to “remove” roughly 1/4 of the can so it doesn’t expand into a beer volcano in your freezer (just trust us on this one). The other method is to pour the entire contents of the can into a plastic party cup. You’ll be able to freeze the entire beer, but it will require buying said cups, so the choice is up to you. Either way, open your cans.

2. Add In Agave & Lime: When adding in the lime, we found it just as easy to juice the lime directly over the can or cup (instead of into a bowl first). Make sure your limes have been softened a little first by rolling them on the counter or popping them in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir the contents of the cup or can until mixed (15 seconds).

3.Add Sticks: You can use almost anything in the kitchen as a stick if you don’t want to purchase popsicle sticks (we used plastic silverware and bamboo skewers). Just be aware that anything wooden inserted into the mix should be moistened first. Either a quick dip in the beer or with water, this is a step that can’t be skipped. If you do, your mixture will bubble and foam for roughly 20 minutes. There’s a good chance (like it did in our kitchen) that it will bubble right over the edge of your container and escape to the counter and potentially floor. Note: Check the photo above for tips on inserting your stick through the pop tab to hold it in place)

4.Time To Freeze: The length of time each popsicle will take to freeze is determined by two things. The first being your freezer’s temperature and the other is how well your mix was, well… mixed, so make sure all the agave and lime is combined! We placed each can or cup in a small bowl to catch any escaping juices and although this is an optional step, we highly suggest it for your first few attempts. Allow to freeze solid for 3-4 hours or overnight.

5.Removal: If you used the party cup method, removing the pop from the can is as simple as giving it a twist and it should pop right out. If you used the can, here’s what we suggest. Use a serrated knife to cut off the bottom and slide the pop out of the can. We don’t like the idea of keeping the pop in the can for fear of cutting ourselves, so if you’re worried about drips, use a small plastic bowl on the bottom to catch the juices.

6. Enjoy! You can eat them just as they are or even sprinkle them with a little salt first. Make sure to share with the neighbors for an extra dose of friendliness.

Additional Notes: We did try this method with other beers and ciders (in which additional sugar isn’t needed) and had the same results — frozen solid. We were worried originally that they wouldn’t freeze all the way, but depending on the alcohol content in your starting beer, it might take a little longer in the freezer.

Try using smaller cups to make a smaller size popsicle as they can be a little daunting for some. Give them a try at your next party or get together and beat the heat with a little sour and sweet!

{via the radical THE KITCHN!}

Suck it!

No really. Suck it….in some mad style with these ridiculous stainless steel straws! 

18 bucks for six at Brook Farm General Store.

{via the lovely jjae}

The best 3 minutes you can spend at the stove:

• Heat up a teaspoon of sesame oil (or olive oil, if you don’t have sesame oil) and saute about a tablespoon of minced garlic around.
• Throw in uh … a couple bunches of spinach (I had, maybe a medium bowl-full) and toss until wilted.
• In a separate bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and fresh ground black pepper. Optional additions: sriracha and lemon juice. Then pour this and a small handful of toasted sesame seeds over the spinach.
• Ta-daaaaaaa.

Hello, lovah. What a perfect piece of…..kitchen. I’d tap that. ;)

{photo via designismymuse:aubreyrd:goodeggs}

I hate salads.

Kay. Whew. Glad I got that out in the open. ;)

But really…I do. I hate ‘em. I don’t get the hype. I hate shoving giant pieces of lettuce polka-dotted with random bits & dripping with mushy dressing into my mouth. There’s no way to gracefully do it. I’d much rather navigate a sandwich, pasta, or hell…even oysters.

So apparently when I went to Trader Joe’s (my market of choice) last week, I was high. Because I bought salad fixin’s. Actually more likely I probably was in a deep dark depression due to a step on the scale. Eh. Tit-tat.

The above photo is of the salad I made from the fixin’s from TJ’s. 

OH…MI….EFFING…..FOODIE GAWWWWD!

This isn’t a salad. It’s everything that is right in the world…on a plate.

I know. I KNOW! I am the Salad Hater. Not no’ mo’.

This plate o’ healthful yums is…..

• ~butter lettuce…which sounds just as delicious as it is. Also, it’s bite sized.
• ~chickens…I grilled mine up in some grape seed oil, salt & peppah
• ~feta cheese…the container I got from TJ’s had spices along with it
• ~kalamata olives….I friggin’ love olives! My first born child will be named “Olive”
• ~Trader Joe’s Goddess salad dressing…not certain what’s in it…except for bits of heaven

There you have it. The salad that ended the “Sara Hates Salads” campaign.

Mmmmmmmmm!

I have purchased so many stinkin’ reusable bags at markets & shops. Why would you do that, Sara? Because I am a forgetful monkey so instead of remembering to pack them prior to a grocery run, I just buy another. I am also not a frugal monkey. Shoot!

So naturally I was drawn to the above lovely. Perhaps I wouldn’t forget it because it’s perfection would call out to me before I rush out the door?

Yeah…prolly not. But it is pretty darned great. Waterproof lining too. It’s not a cheapy at 58 bones…but it would eventually pay for itself. By guilting you to remember your $58 grocery bag.

Eh. I still love it to bits!

Buy your own HERE! :) 

I’m the most unorganized person on the planet…and possibly a couple other planets as well…which is why I’m always swearin’ up & down the river any time I’m trying to locate that ONE recipe from a pile of a gabagillion. 

I’m going to try & corral my wayward collection with this RECIPE CARD GENERATOR.

Or ummm…this here blog. ;) Still…purdy darned cool….and cute to boot!

The BEST Mac ‘n Cheese EVAH!

• 2 ounces chopped rosemary plus 1 sprig for garnish (whatever…that last spring is dumb)
• 1 rotisserie chicken
• salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound macaroni
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups chicken stock (divided; see recipe)
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream (divided) (feel free to use 2 cups hwc & 1 cup skim milk…not so fattening!)
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• Rosemary oil (see recipe) 

FIRST: In large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to boil—get this sucker started as it takes forever….(start on your chicken while it boils away). Add macaroni and cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender. Strain pasta and run under cold water. Add vegetable oil and gently mix in to prevent sticking.

Buy a rotisserie chicken (original recipe called for roasting your own…come on….we’re working gals…we don’t have time for that shiz!).  Go to town on it…..be an animal & rip off all the good meat.  Be prepared…it’s kind of gross & slimy…have lots of paper towel on hand & wine…it helps.  Cut up all the good chicken meat into little chunks…put into a bowl & set aside.  You want about a cereal bowl full. 

To assemble: In very large saute pan, or two 12-inch saute pans, combine cooked macaroni with reserved chicken meat, 2 cups chicken stock, 2 cups cream (feel free to go 1 cup cream & 1 cup skim), all the goat cheese, 1/2 cup rosemary oil (honestly, I added it all), and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Bring mixture to boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid begins to thicken and flavors start to come together. This should take about 10 minutes (seriously…mine took forever…just keep checking it….it’s all good…oh, and breathe deep…this smells amazing!!).

Add remaining cream. Taste and add a few dashes of rosemary oil if desired. Add salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to individual serving bowls & scarf it down.  You will heart it. :)

PS….I took some of the rosemary from the strainer & chopped it SUPER fine & added it while it’s in the pan, stirred it all up & not only did it add tons of flavor, it looks prettier (& more restauranty…no one like beige food!) with the little confetti of green running through it.  :)  Add to taste, of course. 

ROSEMARY OIL

(honestly, I didn’t really measure this part….and I used the little mini chopper thingy my mom got me at Wal-Mart for $5….worked absolutely fine…I prolly ended up with 3/4 cup)

• 2 ounces fresh rosemary sprigs (ummm…I just used almost the entire package…I got into a rhythm with the de-needling them….fun!)
• 1 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Remove rosemary leaves from stems. Put in food processor or blender. Add oil and blend a few minutes. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer. Discard solids. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 cup.