Morels and Sweet Potato Risotto

Basic Risotto
(from Everyday Italian)
4 cups homemade chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (about 1/2 an onion)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

My add-ins: 7-8 dried morel mushrooms soaked in hot milk, 2 diced and roasted sweet potatoes, 1 pork chop

Before getting the risotto started, I diced the sweet potatoes and tossed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt/pepper. I roasted them on a baking sheet at 425 for 35 minutes (stirring after 25 minutes). Be careful not to let these cook too much. You don't want too hard of a crust on them. The mushrooms also needed to be reconstituted - so I heated up some milk until almost boiling and covered the mushrooms with the hot milk. The bowl was covered and left for about 30 minutes.

The pork chop had been sitting in the fridge with a rub on it for 24 hours (was meaning to use it for something else). It was grilled on high for about 3-4 minutes per side. It remained VERY moist while getting such a pretty crust from the sugar in the rub (used a sweet commercial rub). It was sliced and served on top of the risotto.

Add-in instructions: the mushrooms (and the milk they soaked in) were added to the onions after they turned translucent. The sweet potato was stirred in with the parm at the very end.

Directions from recipe

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the broth and keep it warm over very low heat.

Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes until the rice is toasted. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Repeat, adding 3/4 cup of hot broth 2 more times, stirring often, about 12 minutes longer. At this point, the risotto can be made 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate the risotto (the rice will still be firm) and remaining broth, uncovered, until cool, then cover and keep them refrigerated until ready to proceed.

Bring the remaining broth to a simmer, then cover and keep it warm over very low heat. Stir 3/4 cup of hot broth into the partially cooked risotto over medium heat until the broth is absorbed and the risotto is hot, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining broth and simmer until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer.Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into bowls. Sprinkle additional cheese over and serve.

Beer Cheese Soup

aka: heart attack in a bowl. What started as a fun adventure to use up some great cheese left over from the weekend's entertainment turned into a pot of yummy and rich liquid that some in Wisconsin eat as soup. I think the appropriate way to eat this is with a side of chips and a beer - and with no thought paid to the calories consumed.

This qualifies as "baking" because I used the oven to cook the bacon!

I took the recipe I found on Epicurious and added a few different cheeses and spice to deepen the flavor. The blue cheese addition was my favorite. Tasting the soup before and after confirmed that it was a needed addition - yet you might not be able to pick it out.

As I relaxed with my husband - trying to digest the cheese - we watched Good Eats with Alton Brown. His show was an "homage to fromage" and he made some soup! Check out the notes with his tips that should be implemented.

Cheddar Beer Soup

as adapted from epicurious.com
2 cups chopped onion (2 medium)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
1 (12-oz) bottle ale such as Bass (I used Harp)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 lb extra-sharp Cheddar (preferably English; rind removed if necessary), grated (4 cups)

handful of other leftover cheese: blue cheese, parmesan, whatever you like and have onhand!
4 bacon slices (3 1/2 oz total), cooked and crumbled

Preparation

Cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaf in butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately low and sprinkle flour over vegetables, then cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add broth and cook for 30 minutes to meld flavors. Discard the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend mixture to break up and smooth out the vegetables. Strain mixture through a sieve back into the pot. Add milk and beer in a stream, whisking, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper.
Add cheese by handfuls (slowly), stirring constantly, and cook until cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes (do not boil).
Serve sprinkled with bacon (popcorn is another popular topping)

Great sides: rye bread, meatloaf, and a beer of course!