Roasted Tomato & Basil Risotto

Sorry it has been a while.  I misplaced the camera cord so I was unable to transfer my pictures to my computer!  Now that I've found it, I'm back in action.  

We like risotto.  We had a clam shell package of fresh basil in the fridge that I couldn't foresee using before it started to get bad, so I started searching for recipes that I had saved that I could use it in.  I found this on Lime in the Coconut.  Even though spring has sprung, it is still feeling more like winter around these parts, so I thought that risotto was quite fitting for the weather we've been having.

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
7 Garlic Cloves, minced
5 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 Onion, minced
1 cup Arborio Rice
1 cup Dry White Wine
4-6 cups Vegetable Broth
Handful Fresh Basil, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.  Mix the tomatoes with 3 tablespoons of oil and 4 cloves of minced garlic, and place them on the foil lined pan.  Roast the tomatoes and garlic at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  When they have blistered or popped, remove them from the oven and set aside.  Meanwhile, in a dutch oven or stockpot, heat the butter and remaining oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 7-10 minutes.  Add the rice and stir occasionally for 7-10 minutes, until the rice has toasted slightly.  Pour in the wine and stir until almost completely absorbed.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan (or in the microwave), heat the broth to a simmer.  When the wine has been absorbed, add the broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until almost completely absorbed.  Repeat until the broth has been used up and rice is al dente, about 30-45 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the tomatoes, cheese, and basil.  Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Guinness & Onion Soup

I immediately flagged this soup recipe from Pennies on a Platter when I read it two weeks ago.  When I planned it for our menu last week, I checked out the original recipe on Food Network.  I noticed that the original recipe called for sherry vinegar, which we had, so I chose to use that in this soup.  We also made a few other variations.  We made it meatless by omitting beef broth and substituting mushroom broth.  Also, instead of toasting bread with cheese on it, we chose to go the traditional 'French Onion Soup' route and float a piece of bread in the soup, and cover the whole bowl with cheese before toasting.  This soup was quite delicious, especially with a nice tall glass of Guinness to go with it!

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
8 cups Yellow Onions, thinly sliced (about 2 large onions)
Salt
1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
1 1/2 cups Guinness Draught (not Stout)
6 cups Beef Stock (we used mushroom stock)
1 Bay Leaf
Bread, cut into 6 1/2 inch slices
1/2 pound Irish Cheddar, thinly sliced (we used Provolone)

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat.  Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant.  Add the onions, season with salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and saute the onions for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are a deep amber color.  Add the thyme, vinegar, and beer.  Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, then add the stock and bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 more minutes.  Discard the bay leaf and ladle the soup into individual broiler-safe bowls.  Place a piece of bread in each bowl and top the bowl with cheese.  Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Tortellini in Brodo

When coming up with inexpensive meal ideas, soup always comes to mind.  Generally, broth and vegetables come together very quick and don't cost very much to buy.  I came across this soup from Bell'alimento, via La Fuji Mama.  This soup was perfect paired with a freshly baked crusty bread.  And even though we halved the recipe, we still enjoyed the leftovers the next day for lunch.

3 tablespoons Butter
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
8 cups Chicken Broth (I used vegetable broth)
4 cups Water
1 Parmigiano Reggiano Rind, optional (I omitted)
20 ounces Cheese Tortellini
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
Parmesan Cheese, grated

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large dutch oven.  When melted, add the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic.  Cover and reduce the heat to low, cooking for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.  Add the broth and water (and rind, if using).  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  When the broth boils, add the pepper and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to low and add the tortellini.  Allow to simmer until the tortellini cooks to al dente.  Once cooked, remove the rind, if you used it.  Add the parsley and stir to combine.  Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Vegetable and Bean Tostada

In the past year and a half since I've been married, I don't think I've made the same dinner recipe more than once, with very few exceptions.  So, to follow suit, I found this "new to me" recipe on Pink Parsley that looked insanely easy and delicious, to boot!  I may have to add these to the list of few exceptions that are made more than once in our household!  I did make a few changes, only because I couldn't find pickled jalapenos like Josie used in her recipe.  My changes are reflected below.

6 (6-inch) Corn Tortillas
Cooking Spray
1 Green Bell Pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
1 Red Bell Pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
1 Onion, halved and sliced thin
1 Jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 tablespoon Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
2 tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
1 (15 ounce) can Pinto Beans, do not drain
5 ounces Coleslaw Mix
2 ounces Pepperjack Cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Sour Cream
Splash of Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Scallion, minced

Arrange the tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Spray both sides with the cooking spray.  Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until they are lightly browned and crispy.  Meanwhile, heat half of the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the peppers, onions, and jalapeno and season with a pinch of salt.  Stir to combine, cover, and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.  Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4-6 more minutes.   Stir in the garlic and cumin, cooking until fragrant.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover to keep warm.  Add the remaining oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add the beans with their canning liquid.  Cook, mashing the beans with a potato masher until they have thickened, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste, remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.  In a bowl, toss the coleslaw mix with the red wine vinegar, remaining lime juice, scallions, and salt and pepper, to taste.  To assemble tostadas, spread the bean mixture evenly over the crisp tortillas, and top with cheese, vegetables, and coleslaw.

Teriyaki Tempeh with Broccoli

So it appears that we like Asian type stir fry dinners.  I've had this one bookmarked from Hey, That Tastes Good! for a few months and thought it was high time to make it.  Though I think I might prefer my tempeh with snow peas, I thought this was a pretty great alternative.  I used the garden vegetable variety of tempeh and added some broccoli to give the dish some color.

8 ounces Tempeh
1 head Broccoli, cut into florets
2 tablespoons Oil
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Chili Flakes
2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, grated
Toasted Sesame Seeds, for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Add the broccoli and stir fry for about 3-5 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender.  Remove the broccoli and set aside.  Slice the tempeh into thin strips.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the wok.  Add the tempeh and cook for 10 minutes, flipping after the first side is golden brown, about half way through cooking.  Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.    Add the broccoli back to the wok with the tempeh.  Pour the sauce over the top.  Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.  Serve over rice and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top.