I love risotto, it’s one of those recipes that takes a bit to make them and require constant attention. I’ve heard of different ways of making risotto, but this is my ultimate recipe. You can add some white wine right after browning the arborio rice to add a more sophisticated flavor. Trust me, you’ll love it.

Chicken & Mushroom Risotto
A Foodies’ Kitchen Original
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice, (risotto rice)
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 ½ cup mushroom, cut in half
1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning (or Maggi Seasoning)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ onion, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon basil leaves
1 tablespoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup butter

Directions:

1. Chop the onion and garlic into small bits and fry them with a little butter and olive oil. Add the thyme, basil and rosemary.
2. Mix the Adobo seasoning with the chicken.
3. Add the chicken and mushrooms, and stir for about 10 minutes, enough for the chicken to be 3/4 cooked.
4. Add the arborio rice and stir until the rice changes color slightly and add half a cup of chicken broth. Keep stirring.
5. It will be very soupy, but don’t worry. You’ll have perfect risotto in a bit. Reduce the heat and add in increments of 1/2 cup the chicken broth, stirring constantly to reduce the liquid.
6. Slowly add the broth to the rice, slowly and stirring in between spoonfuls and keep stirring.
7. When the broth is reduced, add the butter and keep stirring. Remove from the heat.
8. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, stir and serve with parsley on top.

I am always looking for ways to sneak vegetables in our everyday cooking, not only so my daughter eats them, but for us too.  This recipe gives us a very tasty and different way to have our spinach.

Spinach Loaf

Adapted from whatsforlunch, honey.com
Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 bag fresh spinach
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 of a white onion
1 oz butter + a little bit of olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4  teaspoon nutmeg
2-4 teaspoons sesame seeds
1/2 + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup luke warm milk
1/2 cup of any cheese you have at hand. It can be parmesan, gruyere, mozzarella.

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven at 350 F. Grease a loaf tin.
2. In a large pan heat the olive oil and 1 oz butter until melted. Add the onion and the spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes, just until the spinach slightly falls together. Add the mushrooms and tomato. Sprinkle salt, pepper and the nutmeg and allow to cook for approx. 5 minutes.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of the sesame seeds to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. In a mixing bowl mix together flour and baking powder. Add the eggs and rigorously beat with a whisk. Drizzle the oil and the warm milk into the batter, beating constantly. Add the grated cheese and fold in. Now add the vegetable/herb mixture to this and mix well.
5. Pour out into the loaf tin, sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick is inserted into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean.Take out and allow to cool. Take out of the tin and cut thick slices. Enjoy with your favorite spread, or as a side dish.

This is a great recipe for a special dinner, or lunch. It can easily be doubled or tripled if you are serving more people.

Chicken breasts stuffed with Mozzarella, Mushrooms and Spinach

A  recipe from The Foodies’ Kitchen

Yields: 2 chicken breasts
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 bag of spinach leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup red onion, chopped
Salt
Pepper
A pinch of nutmeg
1 Portabella mushroom, sliced.
¼ cup Mozzarella cheese, enough to sprinkle on the chicken breast
Powdered Thyme
Olive oil

Sauce:

½ cup chopped shallots
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

Procedure:

To make the filling and assemble the rolls:

1. In a large pan, heat olive oil. Add the garlic cloves, red onion and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, add a pinch of nutmeg. Nutmeg can overpower and ruin a dish, so use only a pinch! You can always add more if you want.Once the spinach has cooked, set it aside.
2. Open up the chicken breast, and use a meat pounder (or wooden rolling pin) to thin it out.
3. In the middle of the opened chicken breast, place the spinach, two slices of portabella mushroom, sprinkle the cheese, drizzle a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Roll the chicken breast and secure it with a toothpick.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet, brown the chicken rolls on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the rolls from the pan and set aside.

For the sauce:

1. In the same pan you used to brown the chicken rolls, add a bit more oil, about 1 tablespoon, then add the chopped shallots, let them cook for about 3 min. Add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate for a few minutes,  scrape the pan to get all the flavor, then add the cream, chicken stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce cook for about 8 minutes, uncovered.
2. Cut the chicken breasts into slices and assemble on a plate, drizzle sauce over them.

Serve with asparagus, and mashed potatoes.