Easy Parmesan Risotto

Easy Parmesan Risotto

Are you a risotto lover, but lack the time and patience to stand at the stove stirring forever just to enjoy that perfect creamy risotto? This is the perfect risotto recipe for you! It’s seriously been a game-changer for us. Risotto can stay in our regular rotation rather than an occasional treat on a weekend when we actually have enough time to dedicate to it.

Now that it’s finally, finally cooling down a bit here in the South, I’m starting to crave cozying up with soups and warm, cheesy comfort foods like risotto. During those colder months each year, especially around the holidays, I want comfort foods and I want them with minimal effort so I can enjoy the extra time with my family.

This recipe is for our basic parmesan risotto recipe, but we often like to play with adding in a variety of other flavors. Some of our favorite flavor combinations are spinach and roasted mushroom, spinach and sundried tomato, butternut squash, and broccoli cheese.

Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think in the comments below. Oh and let us know what flavor combos you try as well if you decide to get fancy.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  • 4 1/2 – 5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbs minced garlic
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt (as needed)
  • freshly ground black pepper (as needed)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place the Arborio rice, 4 cups of the chicken stock, garlic and a little salt and pepper in a Dutch oven (we love our Lodge dutch oven).
  3. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until the chicken stock is almost absorbed.
  4. Carefully remove dutch oven, add in the remaining chicken stock a little a time. Stir in the Parmesan and butter and stir for 2 -3 minutes until everything is incorporated well and rice has that creamy risotto consistency.
  5. Optional: Mix in any additions for extra flavor.

Adapted from: Ina Garten’s recipe

Meal Planning Monday :: October 3 – October 9

Meal Planning Monday October 3

And so another week begins…last week was jam-packed with University stuff for the hubby, doctors appointments, errands that absolutely had to be run and so much more. We’re really looking forward to a bit of a recovery week this week.

We scored some beautiful squash (zucchini, yellow squash, and butternut…Oh My!) this weekend at the farmers market downtown, so this week’s meal plan is all about enjoying comfort foods while incorporating lots of veggies.

  • Monday: Eggplant Parmesan Stacks w/Broccoli
  • Tuesday: Taco Zucchini Boats
  • Wednesday: Pesto Alfredo Gnocchi w/Roasted Zucchini & Yellow Squash
  • Thursday: Teriyaki Chicken w/Veggie Stir-fry
  • Friday: Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Pumpkin Pancakes (1st of the season!), Hot Dogs, Butternut Pasta
  • Sunday: Leftover Pancakes, Lemon Garlic Chicken w/Grilled Veggies
  • For the freezer: Beef Stroganoff Casserole
    • We bought a stand-up freezer for the garage after moving into our new house a couple months ago. I’ve made it my little mission to make the most out of that purchase and decided that it would be a good idea to always keep 2 or 3 emergency meals in the freezer for those extra crazy weeknights when nothing is going right, the toddler tantrums are in full swing and all you want to do is just give up and order an overpriced, mediocre pizza. Does anyone else have those nights?
    • Anyway…we had some extra ground beef on our hands after making our taco soup recently, so I decided to go with making a simple beef stroganoff casserole for the freezer this week.

What’s on your menu this week? I’d love to know, so leave a comment below!

Five Friday Favorites

It has been a crazy week, but we finally got a sneak peak of Fall weather (at least Fall in the South) and I am loving it. I finally don’t have to feel like a crazy person only dreaming of Fall things and can drink my apple cider outside on the porch, rather than having to crank the AC.

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home with the family. Whatever you have planned, I hope you enjoy plenty of weekending.

Here are a five things that I’m loving this week:

one// Absolutely loving the cool weather that has finally arrived so that I have a reason to break out my new favorite shirt. Excited to rock the black and white to get into the Halloween spirit. Wore it while running errands with the little guy this morning and got so many compliments. Love when you find these affordable gems at Old Navy!

Could resist this “Scary But Cute” tee for my favorite Mickey-obsessed toddler. I have no choice but to support his Disney addiction at this point…since I started it…

Scary But Cute Mickey Shirt

 

two// How could I not include my favorite Fall candle? I know I’ve mentioned it before and Instagrammed it more than once, but it seriously is Fall in a jar and I look forward to it every year. If they ever retire this scent it will break my heart…just don’t even think about it Bath & Body Works!

Friday Favorites: Pumpkin Pecan Waffles Candle

 

three// First batch of Pumpkin Brownies are in the oven right now and I can’t wait to devour them tonight after our weekly Friday pizza dinner. The house smells heavenly right now.

 

four// Totally sucked into the first couple of episodes of This Is Us. I was a die hard Parenthood fan and there’s been so much hype around this being the new Parenthood. It’s good, and I’ll probably keep watching it for awhile because I’m a sucker for good character development, but I don’t think it will end up coming close to the special place Parenthood has in my heart. Is anyone else watching? Do you have any other new show favs this season?

 

five// Pumpkins. Pumpkins everywhere!

Fall Pumpkins