Risotto With Snap Peas.

So. Last week brought something unexpected.

And so did this week.

That’s right, the unthinkable happened.

My parents joined Facebook.

In their defense, it’s to see the beautiful photos that ES took of the unexpected occurrence last week, so I suspect they won’t be getting sucked into the dreaded Facebook time warp.

Hockey is superior to Facebook.

In any event, happy long running this weekend, folks!

Oh, and happy birthday to (my fiancé!) His Lordship!

Risotto with Snap Peas
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 ½ cups arborio rice
½ large yellow onion, diced
6 cups chicken stock
⅓ cup white wine
¾ cup Parmesan, grated
4 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
2 cups snap peas, washed, dried, and cut into julienne
Salt & pepper
Goat cheese, crumbled

Procedure
1. In small pot, heat chicken stock over low flame.
2. In medium saucepan, sweat onion 10-15 minutes until soft and slightly golden in color. Season with salt. Stir in rice and toss to combine.
3. Deglaze pan with white wine, bringing up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce wine to a Tablespoon of liquid.
4. Starting with one cup at a time, add chicken stock and cook over medium-low heat. Continue to add cup by cup until rice is tender and al dente, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, prepare veg: Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add snap peas, saute for 6-7 minutes until golden. Add garlic and saute a few minutes more. Add spinach and saute until spinach has wilted down, 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; reserve.
6. To serve, scoop risotto in bowl; top with snap pea/spinach mix and crumbled goat cheese.

Grilled Cheese With Tomato Chutney.

Bless you, grilled cheesus.

(Yeah, we’re back to that again.)

I recently purchased a “blazing tomato chutney” at the Rockefeller Center farmer’s market to pair with a cheddar cheese. Then, one Sunday afternoon, I decided I’d rub my hands together and make a dynamite grilled cheese.

And, yeah. It rocked.

Disclaimer: I highly recommend the chutneys and jams from Beth’s Farm Kitchen.

Grilled Cheese With Tomato Chutney
Serves 1

Ingredients
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
2 Tbps. spicy tomato chutney
2 slices whole wheat bread
Butter and extra-virgin olive oil for pan

Procedure
Assemble Sandwich: layer cheddar on one slice of bread. Spread chutney on other slice of bread. Press together in sandwich form. (Self-explanatory, no?)

Heat 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-low heat. Add sandwich, cover, cook for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown on one side. Flip, cover, cook 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to cutting board, slice in half, serve.

Goo!

Glorified Mac & Cheese With Hot Dogs.

I got a special surprise from my dear friends Steph and Matt (who did NOT run the Philadelphia marathon, even though I tracked a mysterious man of the same name) with the gift of hot dogs. Yes. Just to be clear, hot dogs make for a nice—albeit slightly out of the norm—birthday present.

Also, Matt came in second at the inaugural Hot Dog Challenge last winter. I suspect this was his way of telling me he’s coming back with a vengeance to take the number 1 spot.

Anywho, His Lordship and I decided to use the dogs in a macaroni and cheese dish. You remember, the kind your Mom made with the Kraft blue box and mixed in cut up hot dogs?

Yeah. We remember too.

Glorified Mac & Cheese With Hot Dogs
Serve 2-3

I swear it tastes better than it looks.

Ingredients
½ pound pasta
4 hot dogs, cut into 1-inch slices
1 cup milk
2 tbsps. butter, and more for baking
2 Tbsps. flour
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese; grated; 1 oz. reserved
1 cup breadcrumbs
salt & pepper
extra-virgin olive oil

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Heat 1-2 Tbsps. olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add dogs, and sauté for 7-8 minutes, until golden brown. Reserve.
3. Make cheddar mornay sauce: In small saucepan over low flame, add butter. Once melted, add flour and whisk to combine. While whisking, slowly incorporate milk. Raise heat—the béchamel (milk sauce) will thicken once it comes to a boil. Slowly whisk in cheddar, and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until just short of al dente. Drain.
5. Combine pasta, hot dogs, and mornay sauce in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to buttered casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs, remaining cheddar. Top with pieces of butter. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.