sushi: another happy culinary adventure

Today I made sushi for the first time!  It was fun and reasonably successful.  I encourage you to try, if you haven't yet.  The internet is a wonderful resource, as are my friends, who emphasized the need for a sushi mat (which are not expensive, thankfully!).  One site in particular was helpful: howtomakegreatsushi.

That's all!

summer dinner

Looking for a good summer dinner?  This one was a win.  Here are the recipes I used, with very few modifications:
panko coated chicken schnitzel
thai harvest red rice salad
This would probably also be good on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Enjoy!
Bethany

p.s. Remember to be careful when heating oil (have a shielding lid ready!), and that when you add the parsley and capers to the hot butter, their moisture could cause some exciting things to happen if the butter is too hot.  Just a friendly word of caution.

Risotto with Chicken

Risotto.  The very name evokes something delicious, and probably something a bit fancier than usual fare.  I am venturing in to learning to make good risotto.  This is, I believe, my second time, and while it was delicious I don't think I've really achieved true risotto goodness.  Here are a few photos from when I made it last week, plus the recipe (slightly modified from my newest addition to my cookbook library).  You may notice I didn't use the right kind of rice.  I bought the right kind and will try that next time.  Things to look forward to!

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 8 oz chicken breast, skinned and cut into 1-inch cubes (or however much you have and want to eat)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed/ chopped
• 2 1/4 c risotto rice, preferably arborio
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 7 1/2 c simmering chicken stock
• 2 T butter (optional)
• 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

• Heat the oil and begin to cook the chicken cubes.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft.
• Stir in the rice and saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly
• Add the wine and bring to a boil.  Simmer gently until almost all the wine is absorbed (yes, I did actually buy cooking wine for this!)
• Ad the simmering stock, a ladleful at a time, and cook, stirring continuously, until the rice is just tender and the risotto creamy.  Let each ladleful of stock be almost completely absorbed before you add the next.  Be patient.

• Add the butter and Parmesan cheese.  Season with anything else you desire.  Don't go overboard, since one of the nice parts of this risotto is its mild goodness :)