Risotto, an easier side dish than you think

Have you ever watched Hell's Kitchen? The one with Gordon Ramsay looking for a new head chef for one of his bazillion restaurants and he pretty much yells at you and throws things at the chefs. That one, it comes on Fox, but man don't I love it. My mom thinks I am weird for loving a show where the main person is yelling and screaming at the cooks and in her words "degrading", but my Dad and I LOVE IT and think it's so funny. I also mainly love it for the cooking and the challenges. (Master Chef is also a great show to!!) On a side note, if you have never worked in a restaurant you have no idea how tense it can get in the kitchen, yelling happens. Hence why you grow tough skin when you get burned, to protect you from all the yelling.

One of my Favorite shows.

 Well the reason why I bring up Hell's Kitchen is one of the sides I see the chef's make 95% of the time and seem to screw it up 93.4567% of the time (just trust my math, he-he) is Risotto. It is a very simple dish to make, hence why I couldn't comprehend why these guys can mess it up so much. Before we go into the nitty gritty let me give you a very brief history of Risotto. Risotto is a short grain rice that was introduced to Spain and Italy by the Arabs during the Middle Ages. Italy was most ideal to grow this rice because of the humidity and flat land and quickly became an Italian staple. Believe it or not, Italians also love to take their time with their food to make sure that the flavors are absorbed and cherished (hence why an Italian dinner party can last for hours, trust me I know from first hand experience).

Now let's get started on this lovely dish. This is another dish that you can make your own, add or subtract veggies or change the flavors. Play with it, add saffron or fresh basil. It's truly hard to screw up Risotto. It just takes a little longer than normal rice and some additional stirring, but by the end, you can impress your friends and they will believe you are a gourmet chef!

Here are the things you are going to need:

1. 1 to 1 1/2 cups of Aborio (risotto) rice. This will make a lot, it's just like rice, it will double or triple in size.
2. 1 quart of broth, Chicken, vegetable or beef. I usually use what is going to complement my main dish.
3. Optional: vegetables to saute, such as mushrooms, peas, or spinach. 
4. A little olive oil
5. Optional: wine

Yup that's it, really four items. Ok let's get started. Get a medium saute pan. With a little olive oil saute your veggies. I picked mushrooms. After they have been sauteed to satisfaction, add the Aborio. Yes dry, trust me. Let the Aborio saute a little until you can smell an almond or nutty scent.

Saute it dry first

While the mushrooms are sauteing, start on your broth. I usually recommend that it is warmed up. I used the powdered broth or the stuff from the carton. Heat up about a quart of broth.

 

Now that your broth is ready, pour a little into your risotto pan, about a quarter of the liquid. With a spoon stir the risotto and mix it all in together. You don't have to stir the risotto all the time but  keep an eye on it because you do not want it to stick. You want the risotto to absorb the flavors.

When you first add

When you mix it all together

Then when the liquid is fully absorbed and there is no liquid in the pan, add more and repeat. You are going to do this till you are out of broth (3-4 times) and till the risotto is nice a creamy. If you stir often enough and use enough liquid, you should be able to avoid lumps. When you get lumps Gorden Ramsay comes to your house and throws the pan against something a disgrace. And you don't want to be a disgrace by Gordon Ramsay.

Last set of sauce

End product

If you are not a creamy stage and you need just that extra ounce of liquid, this is where vino comes in. Not sure what wine to use, chicken broth and veggie = white (chardonnay goes well) and beef =red. Stir it in and Viola, Bam,  or Poof the Magical Dragon if you prefer, your Risotto is done. It goes great as a side or as a main dish. I grate a little fresh Romano or Parm over it, that is some excellent cooking there.

So now get your application for Master Chef (Gordon is nicer there) or the Hell's Kitchen because you know how to cook Risotto. Now go home, sit down with a glass of wine and pat your self on the back because you made it better than the others show screw up 93.4567% of the time. Live, Laugh, and Love!!!

SMASHED Potatoes

So I have been talking about them long enough, here is a super awesome easy side if you need something easy and cheap. I call 'em SMASHED potatoes. When I told Hubby, he got so excited (I promise you he acts 6 or 12 half the time, depends on the day) because he got to smash something. This is a fun dish to do with little ones (or those who act like little ones at heart) or even after your have had a stressful day. What you do in your own home is your own business, I don't need to see and I won't judge, lol.

Alright here is what you are going to need:
Red Potatoes, about 1-2 per person. Maybe 3 if you are really hungry.
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Any bake potato fixings you like.
Set your oven to 350

So start off boiling your potatoes. You do not want them over done to where you can mash them, but you want them done enough to where you can slide a knife or fork in and out of it easily.

As always, drizzle your pan with a little olive oil

Easiness of moving the fork in and out of the potatoe

So once your potatoes tender, then place them on your oiled up pan. You don't want them cramped and right next to each other. It's ok to give them a little breathin' room, trust me they will appreciate it in the long run.

I Crush, I mean SMASH, you!

 Now here is the fun part! Take your potato masher and SMASH them once in each direction. You want them to crack open for you and succumb to your power of the SMASH. (Can you tell we had fun making this side?)

 Next drizzle a little olive oil over your newly smashed potatoes.

 Now add some salt, pepper, maybe some chopped green onion. Don't add cheese if you want to do that yet. After you have seasoned to your hearts desire, go ahead and place your Smashed beauties into the oven at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. You just want them to firm/crisp up a little, so don't go crazy.

So after they are done you can add your other fixings to them. Hubby hates sour cream so we usually don't buy it (I know he is weird). If you want to add some cheese and you want it a little melted. Take out your potatoes about 3 minutes early and put it on them and put back for the remaining time. Well as always Live, Laugh, Love!!!

A Birthday in my Office

So this is how loved I feel in my office. It was birthday yesterday and I knew what was going to happen, my desk is going to get "redecorated" by my co-workers. We are simple women and are easily entertained. I am fortunate to be the last of the birthdays for the year, so I knew what was coming, but I thought hmmm, I am right in the front where I great our candidates and clients, it is not going to be that over the top so should be somewhat safe. I thought wrong...

The first look

This is what you first see when you walk in and it looks like where Tinsel Town made their new home.

My back filing desk, not to bad, festive.

Tinsel is EVERYWHERE!

Then my main desk. When I laughed and saw this, I was just so thankful that payroll was the day before. Their is tinsel EVERYWHERE. I can't lift up a paper or pen without out dragging some with it. And my co-worker, Ashley, thinks I need more.

Poor little Henry

I do love it, even if this comes off sarcastic, even though there is a mess, I feel so loved. It was the perfect ending to a four day long celebration of my birthday. So thanks to all my family, friends, and wonderful husband. I am so blessed to have you all in my life and do not know what I would do without you all. Live, Laugh, and Love!

It's my birthday and I jumped out of an AIRPLANE!!!

So as you can see my wonderful husband decided to take me skydiving for my 24th birthday. I sometimes don't know what I do to deserve such an amazing, wonderful, and thoughtful husband. he truly spoils me rotten. So to make up for the lack of me posting for the week (Sorry it has been crazy) I thought I would share our videos of our jump together. So thank you Spaceland Skydive for doing this for us!

All I can say about this was it was truly breath taking. The first five seconds we were free falling I was freaking out a little bit and thinking in my head "Why the Heck did I decide to jump out of a plane. I have truly lost my mind if I thought this was fun." Then after three seconds of hyperventilating I then remembered to smile for the camera. I have no words for what a remarkable and amazing experience it was. I loved it!! So above is mine and below is good ol' Hubby's jump. He says my video was better, but I think his facial expressions are WAAAAYYY better.

So thank you to all my family and friends who made my 24th birthday a wonderful and memorable birthday. All the way from jumping out of a plane with my amazing husband to every single piece of pink tinsel that has swallowed my desk (thanks for that one Ashley, now my paperwork has somewhere else to hide, I do love it).

So enjoy and look for a post soon on some potatoes! I need finish enjoying my birthday cupcakes my office has purchased for me. Don't judge, there are no calories on your birthday, my mother has told me so! Live, Laugh, Love all!

Yummy Spaghetti Carbonara

Ok before you run for the hills because you think Spaghetti Carbonara is to difficult and you should only eat it when you go eat out. Trust me it's not. It's a very very very simple pasta dish. A true Carbonara is just pasta, bacon, eggs, and cheese. There are some variations here and there, you will see a slight variation or two in mine also. It's quick, simple, and Del-i-cious!

Before we get started, just to let you know a few things. As always I tell you to make this recipe your own. I had to improvise what I normally use. In the ingredient list I will tell you I use peas, but last night, where I thought we had peas, alas we apparently ate them all. So we substituted spinach with it. Last time I made this dish I had pork chops on the side, but Hubby requested chicken in the dish. Just another great example of making this dish your own!

Ok your grocery list:

• Spaghetti
• 2 Eggs
• Parmesan
• Bacon (sliced or cubed)
• Peas
• Olive Oil

See simple so far right? Ok start with cooking your spaghetti. Now while you have your water boiling and the pasta is cooking, start on the bacon.

Boiling the spaghetti

Before we go on, just to let you know I LOVE bacon. Can't get enough of it. And before you ask, yes I have tried chocolate covered bacon. It was ok, the place we got it from served us more a sliver of bacon drowned in chocolate. Maybe again, but I am not going to rush to be the first in line. But Bacon for breakfast, ahh it's heaven. lol.

So get your bacon, I used about 6-8 half strips. Took the stack and make sliced is and started cooking it in a large sauce pan. Yes a large sauce pan, use the biggest one you have. Your dish will start and end here, so get a biggin'.

Yummy, yummy, yummy bacon

For us after the bacon was close, then we added the chopped chicken. ( We made a whole chicken over the weekend, so e just used cooked chicken meat. If you are using raw, then add it in with the bacon in the beginning)

Bacon with the chicken

Then after the bacon is cooked, we added our spinach. For you add the peas. Just use your imagination and pretend that my chopped spinach is peas. As that sautes, put it on low heat and check on your pasta. If your pasta is done, drain it, and reserve about half a cup of pasta water. Then add the pasta to the pan. Let it soak up all that bacon flavor, yummmmm.

*Jedi Wave* This dish has peas in it

As that is mixed up, in a separate bowl, add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Parmesan and mix thoroughly with 2 eggs. Make sure that there are no lumps. Once it is mixed up, add it to the pasta in the pan.

Get rid of all the clumps

Adding the two eggs

This should be your final result

Mix it all together! *Note: I accidentally made to much pasta* Now remember, keep it on low and you don't want to cook for too long. Just a few minutes, because you don't want the cheese and egg to become Ala scramble cheese eggs amongst the pasta. If you think it is stiff, then add a little pasta water, little by little, to loosen it up.

YUMMMYYYYY!

Voila! Multi Bene! You have yourself a simple quick pasta dish, all under thirty minutes! Now sprinkle some more parm, get a glass of vino, and let the special person/family/friend tell you how much of an amazing cook you are. Live, Laugh, and Love! Enjoy!

Our future children might be weird

So I am not gonna deny it, I have some odd quirks. I like to tap my nose when I am acknowledging myself or I am thinking. I name random objects that catch my eye and every animal I see at the park. For some reason I have to have a pillow in my lap the majority of the time I am sitting. I also randomly skip or dance when we are walking around.

A look into my future

It's one reason why I love my husband, he may not always get my quirks but he at least goes with it and encourages me. He even has his own quirks which makes me fall in love with him all over again when he does them. Even little Ollie has his own quirks (he likes to lick the inside of our noses). And as a couple we have developed a few weird quirks of our own. It's what makes us unique. My little thinks it's weird we lick each other and I don't even remember where it all started. We make mustache faces at random times and places because of something new we discovered together. But it makes us laugh and it's a little thing that defines our relationship. It's the little things that brings you closer together as a couple.

And even though we do these things and people might think we are weird or off, there are things that you do to that makes you unique. There was a episode of "Sex and the City" were Charlotte is going through a separation and the girls talk about the little odd things that they used to do when they were single ladies. Carrie liked to put jelly on her saltines and stack them on top of one another in her kitchen and stand there and eat them one by one. Why must we only be able to do our "quirks" when we are single and alone? I am still adjusting to married life and there are things that I can't bring to mind that I don't do as often, but as I adjust I do them more and we develop our own.

But I was just thinking last night as my loving husband began to attack me by licking me, "our children might be weird and think this is normal." I tell Hubby all the time when ever we have children I might be visiting the school often because little Johnny might think it is normal to "lick" a girl on the cheek that he likes. Or little "Jane" is going to think it is okay to bite boys on the arm when she is feeling playful. (I do promise to teach our children that this is not normal and if my future children do anything like this to your future children, I apologize in advance) But either way, I would not want to stop/trade/change this at all. For now I love our little family: My licking loving husband, my booger licking dog, and my random naming self. We are one happy little family! Always love and appreciate those you love! Live, Laugh, Love!

Quick Easy Green Bean Fries

So I have been on this healthy kick lately, trying to watch my portions and what not. Hubby and I already eat pretty healthy but I have been focusing on working out and eating portions. So I thought of this dish my mom makes every now and it's delicious! I call it green bean fries. It's quick and they come out crisp like a french fry. I make these for little ones I watch every now and then and for parties, and everyone eats them up!

So it is simple. Go to your store and get some fresh stem green beans. About one handful of green beans is enough for one serving for one person. After you wash them go ahead and snap the ends off. Just the tips. Why you may ask, I have no clue, I always did this with my mom and I have always done it since. After you have done this go set your oven to broil, if possible do low broil.

Next take some olive oil and drizzle and spread on a cookie sheet. Then spread out your green beans on this pan and lightly drizzle olive oil over the green beans. Also sprinkle with salt, pepper, and maybe some garlic powder if you wish (I always do!)

With your hands mix up the green beans with the oil and spices that you picked. Once it is all mixed up place it closest to the flame. NOTE: this dish will cook very quickly, so don't just put it in and walk away. This dish should not take more than 12 minutes to cook, and I have had it done in 8 minutes.

The green beans all mixed up

Your green beans should be done in 8-10 minutes. They should be kind of crisp to the bite, just be careful because you do not want it to burn. Let it cool for a couple of minutes and you have your self a great healthy side dish. If you want to do burgers but don't want to temp yourself with potatoes, this is a great option! Enjoy and Live, Laugh, Love!!