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Broccoli Cheddar Risotto

November 20, 2013 in Food, recipe, wine by traveleatlove | 5 comments

Just in time for the cold’s latest arrival, I have been spending evenings in one of my favorite ways, sitting in bed with lots of pillows and cook books, bookmarking recipes and getting myself a meal plan in place. We have gotten pretty darn bad with the takeout, frozen food, and snacks as dinner, and I am determined to stop that, especially since we had a recent family health scare.

While browsing through one of my magazines, I found a recipe for broccoli and cheese risotto, and I thought the idea sounded brilliant. I love any recipe that lets me sneak a vegetable in while also incorporating indulgent tastes like wine and cheese.

arborio rice

Now I rarely cook risotto the same way twice, and I definitely cook it by eye. If you are not comfortable doing that, following a recipe, especially when it comes to liquid measurements, is always helpful.

I always start my risotto by toasting the arborio rice in oil with a little onion or shallot, before I begin the process of slowing stirring in liquids. In this case, I got a pot of chicken stock boiling next to my risotto, reduced it to a simmer, and then started stirring it into my risotto, ladle by ladle, stirring until each grain soaks the stock up. About halfway through, I start adding little bits of wine, this time around a Shannon Ridge Chardonnay, until I have used about a cup of wine.

Shannon Ridge Chardonnay

The stirring and adding liquid part of making risotto lasts for a good long time, so be sure to pour yourself a glass of that wine too!

Once the risotto is getting tender, it’s time to add in other ingredients. This is when I added in chopped broccoli, then continued stirring and adding liquid in.

broccoli florets

Kerrygold cheese

When the risotto was to my liking, texture-wise, I added in a grated Kerrygold Dubliner cheese and served the risotto with a cold glass of Chardonnay.

broccoli and cheese risotto

This meal isn’t perfect, when it comes to eating “clean” or healthy, but it was complete and filling and a step in the right direction. Next time I would add a side of steamed spinach or a light salad to get in a little more nutrition.

Now that we are planning on moving to a new home, I am getting excited about holiday decorating and good wine and food at home. Tis the season to be a bit of a homebody, and I am definitely ready!

Tags: cooking, Food, recipe, risotto, vegetarian recipe, wine

Cranberry, Quinoa, and Butternut Squash Salad

October 24, 2013 in Food by traveleatlove | 5 comments

If you are looking for a wicked easy Thanksgiving side dish, or even just a healthy, seasonal vegetarian lunch. then this little mix of dried cranberries, quinoa, and butternut squash is for you. In an effort to be slightly healthier and order less takeaway (We are failing.), I have been trying to put together a handful of simple ingredients to make dinners that turn into lunch leftovers.

dried cranberries

This very simple dish starts with quinoa, cooked according to the package instructions, while chunks of butternut squash are roasting in the oven.

maple syrup

The dressing is a mix of apple cider, a tiny bit of maple syrup, olive oil,  and hot paprika. It sounds a little weird, but it reminds me of this harvest salad I made many moons ago. For this quinoa recipe, I made just enough dressing so that the quinoa wasn’t dry and there was some nice flavor. I mix everything to taste; it’s the only way to get a recipe just perfect for you!

butternut squash, quinoa, cranberries

Once the quinoa and butternut squash are done, mix in the dried cranberries and dressing. Mixing the cranberries into a warm quinoa softens and plumps them up a bit, making for a nice texture. The final step for this salad, once it’s at room temperature, is to crumble in some goat or feta cheese, depending on your preference. There you have yourself a delicious and nutritious side dish, lunch or light dinner.

butternut squash, quinoa, cranberries

I know it’s not very exciting, and definitely not an exact science, but it’s meals like this that I create on the fly that keep me from giving up on cooking entirely when I would much rather call for a pizza.

What are some of your favorite on-the-fly easy meals?

Tags: butternut squash, recipe, side dish, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, vegetarian recipes

Spiced Heirloom Tomato Compote

September 25, 2013 in recipe by traveleatlove | No comments

It’s wine snack Wednesday, and this is a simple, must-share little treat that went perfectly with our dry Riesling tasting. I know it’s fall and all, but heirloom tomatoes might be around a tiny bit longer; if you find some good ones, you will want to make this compote.

heirloom tomatoes

hungarian paprika

apple cider vinegar

It’s an incredibly easy “recipe” that starts by roasting tomatoes until wrinkly and fragrant. You’ll know when they are done, just by looking at them. Once your tomatoes are ready, use a food mill or even scissors to really pulverize them into a puree. Take your tomato blend and put it in a sauce pan on low, and while stirring, add in a couple of teaspoons of sugar. This recipe is not exact; it’s all about your taste. A lot of the recipes I perused prior to cooking called for SO much sugar, which I just didn’t want to use. Instead, I stirred in about three teaspoons while the tomato puree was slowly simmering on the stove. To that, I added a teaspoon of Hungarian paprika, a pinch of cinnamon and about 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. I stirred it all together and let it simmer until it cooked down a bit.

roasted heirloom tomatoes

Once cool, I put in little jars to store. I didn’t jar these for long-term storage, but that is definitely something I would like to learn.

spiced tomato compote

This spicy sweet, and savory compote was nice with a little Saint Andre triple crème cheese and a couple of pours of Riesling. The spice of the compote was delightful with the fruit flavors in the wine, and the creaminess of the cheese went well with the acidity of the wine; the fat was cut a little by some of those zippy Riesling flavors.

Saint Andre cheese

I love cooking for wine pairing, and I especially love when I find something super simple that we can enjoy on a weeknight. We’re learning more and more to savor each and every day of our lives, and mid-week mini celebrations are a great way to do it.

How do you savor the everyday moments, especially those draining weekdays?

Tags: cheese, heirloom tomatoes, recipe, tomatoes, wine, wine and food, wine and food pairing

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