Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Two for Tuesday

When I was growing up in Tennessee there was an awesome Classic Rock radio station and on Tuesdays they played two songs back-to-back by the same artist/group and for some reason I loved it. Double shot of Bruce Springsteen? Yes, please! They called it Two-fer Tuesday or something like that. I hated that name but it kept popping into my head when I was trying to think of a name for this post.

Today I have two recipes for you. A two-fer if you will. I have been in a bit of a side dish rut lately. With all that we've got going on right now, creative meal planning has kind of been pushed aside for "Oh, crap I hope there's something in the freezer...".  

Somehow, though, the other night I rocked it. I tried a new spice rub on some pork chops that I grilled and had two fabulous side dishes, Easy Parmesan Risotto and Balsamic Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots.

Keep in mind that I am so not a food photographer, so please don't hold that against the recipes. They really are delicious!

Easy Parmesan Risotto

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until absorbed.
Add half the broth (1 ¾ cups) and simmer, stirring once, until absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the remaining broth and simmer, stirring once, until the rice is tender and creamy, 8 to 10 minutes. (If the rice is not cooked through and the mixture is dry, add more broth and continue to cook until tender.)
Stir in the Parmesan and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle with the basil and additional Parmesan, if desired.

**I did not use the white wine called for in the recipe. Instead, I just increased the broth amount to 4 cups and skipped the part about adding the wine separately.  I also did not add the basil, because well, I forgot. Still delicious, though!

Source: The Comfort Of Cooking, who adapted it from  Real Simple magazine


Balsamic Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots 
 
2 lbs baby carrots (or an equivalent of scrubbed sliced regular carrots)
1 TB olive oil
Salt and Pepper

2 TB olive oil
3 TB honey
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Drizzle the carrots with 1 TB olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Whisk together the remaining oil, honey, and vinegar and toss with the carrots. Return the carrots to the oven and roast for another 5 minutes.

Source: So Wonderful So Marvelous


***If anyone is still reading at this point, thank-you. I cannot for the life of me figure out why the font on the second recipe is smaller than everything else. Does it look that way to you or are my eyes just weird this morning? Any thoughts?


Please stop by Tuesdays at the Table at A Quilter's Table and the Pin-Did Challenge at the Modern Marigold to see what some other wonderfully crafty people have been making lately.

14 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, that sounds so delicious. You can come over anytime. ;)

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  2. What a great post! We all have those "Oh, crap" moments, I'm sure. Our family would enjoy both of your recipes - thanks for sharing!

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  3. Both those recipes sound yummy! Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Oh I'm going to have to try these, especially the carrots. I belong to a CSA and carrots are plentiful right now!

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  5. Looks yummy!! By the way, did I see your name over at sew mama sew this week with another giveaway win????

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  6. Mmmm Parmesan anything and I am there. So when are we having dinner together. ;)

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  7. Sounds delicious! I have never tried to make risotto because I once had a horrible experience with it at a restaurant, but that recipe is tempting. The carrots are obviously going to be made in my house. I am a sucker for balsamic.

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  8. Love risotto and those carrots look gorgeous!! Hope you are having a great Tuesday Toni.

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  9. The photos were good enough to make me starve instantly ;-) Looks yummy and thanks to you I had my first look at pinterest. You pinned a ton of cool stuff!

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  10. Oo, those carrots sound super yummy... I never think to cook carrots somehow, I should try this!

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  11. I love risotto - there is a yummy pumpkin risotto that I love to make:)

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  12. We had "Two for Tuesdays" here in Los Angeles too! Both recipes look wonderful - putting it on my list along with your Kale from a few weeks ago. :)

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