Mushroom Risotto

The only risotto I’ve eaten was made in fine restaurants. Although I always loved eating it. I’d never made it myself.

I’ve been binge watching lots of cooking shows. One episode of Master Chef Junior had Joe Bastianich demonstrating how to make risotto. Then I found a video of his mother Lidia Bastianich at Harvard demonstrating the science behind the cooking of risotto at a public lecture on Science and Cooking. I watched them and felt confident but upon a second look I heard that you use 1/4 c of wine not the one cup I thought I heard. Good thing I watched again.

You need the Arborio rice to begin with so I bought the correct ingredients (except I did not have a hunk of Grana Padano cheese and used some Parmesan to finish it) cook with wine you would drink, no cooking wine.

The best 22 minutes I’ve spent in a long time, and standing at the stove stirring constantly wasn’t difficult. Can’t wait to make it again.

A Bit of Irish Butter

Hmmm, what can I find to shoot for the MarchSquare challenge? I was looking around my house. Ah. Spotted one of the little covered square butter dishes my friend Joanne sent me. With a bit of Irish butter in it. My grandmother’s butter knife.

If you want to check out more squares and squares within squares and circles in squares here’s Becky B’s “It’s Nearly Over” post with lots of links

It is nearly all over!

Setting the Table for Sunday Breakfast

The holly bush outside provide a few branches.  Photo by iPhone.

 I have 3 Christmas plates in the Naif pattern but they made it feel festive.

Menu was scrambled eggs with a bit of extra sharp Cabot cheddar, toast.  Coffee and orange juice. The tangerines looked beautiful but the taste was a bit disappointing.

Nothing fancy, simple but good. And the individual butter dishes from my elegant friend J in Omaha. They inspire me to entertain.

Filled with Irish Kerrygold Butter! You can’t go wrong with Irish butter.IMG_6397