Sweet Italian Chicken Risotto

Yummy for my tummy!

I love anything that can be cooked in one skillet. I like not having lots of dishes to clean, and it just makes it seem easier. Risotto can be tricky, its something I am eh, at and wish I could be better but it was really a great meal. I will repeat this one again with another flavor of sausage for sure. I checked out their site and just kind of mashed up a few of their recipes. For an on the fly didnt know what I was ending up with meal, it was a success. Leftovers were yummy too!

Sweet Italian Chicken Risotto

1-12oz package (cooked) Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage,cut into 1/4” slices (I used al fresco brand)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 tbsp minced fresh garlic

½ tsp dried thyme

1-1/4 cups Arborio rice

1 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine

4 cups chicken broth, low-sodium

3 cups chopped spinach

Directions:

Heat broth in a saucepan

In a heavy, large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

Sauté sausage and onion until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add garlic and thyme and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds

Add rice and wine; stir 1-2 minutes or until wine is absorbed

Add 2 cups of stock. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes

Continue adding stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is adsorbed and rice is tender and creamy, about 10-15 minutes

Stir in spinach to wilt and 1/4 cup Parmesan; cook 1 minute or until heated throughout.

Season with 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Garnish with parsley and remaining cheese.

Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Autumn Sausage & Rice

If you have kids and you have to actually feed them, you know it isnt always easy. Sometimes I pick recipes thinking they will both love it. Then they hate it. I can never tell which might like what anymore and while they arent the worlds pickiest eaters, it drives me nuts when they turn their nose up at something I was just they would ask for again and again.

This was such a recipe. I was sure my little one would love it, and she did not. But I might try again, it has all her favorite things so I cant imagine what went wrong?

This is a great slow cooker meal and the flavors are really delicious

Slow Cooker Autumn Sausage & Rice

adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

Ingredients

-1 pound sausage (I used chicken roasted garlic pre-cooked)

--1 large, or 2 small apples, chopped (no need to peel)

--1 yellow onion, chopped

--1 tbsp. butter

--1/2 cup chopped carrots

--3 cups already cooked long-grain rice (I used white )

--1/2 cup crasins (could use raisins also)

--1 T dried parsley flakes

--1 T brown sugar

--1/2 tsp allspice

--1/2 tsp cinnamon

--1/4 tsp black pepper

--1/3 cup chicken broth or water (I used broth)

The Directions.

The amount of ingredients fit nicely in a 4 quart crockpot. I'd say this comfortably feeds a family of 4-5 with a bit of leftovers. If you have a large family or teenagers, add more rice and sausage. It's a pretty easy recipe to adapt to your needs.

Add butter to a saute pan on med. heat. Add the onions and saute until light brown color. Add chopped sausage to the onions and cook until the sausage pieces get nicely browned. Add mixture to the crockpot. You can omit this step, and will achieve fine results, but I like my sausage cooked this way and I think it makes the flavor better.

**If you are using uncooked pork sausage you can remove onions to the crockpot and brown the sausage completely before adding them to the crockpot**

Dump the rest of the ingredients into the crock, and stir well.

Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4. You're really only heating through, and allowing the vegetables to soften.

This will not stick together like a gloppy casserole; it has the consistency of fried rice. Use bowls to serve rather than plates.

Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Rice Casserole

I thought I was almost getting caught up and posting about the meals I eat on the nights I eat them. But things have been entirely too hectic in our household so I am still stuck in last weeks Eats. Before I get to the main event I needed to post another picture of my sweet girl Mia, who now likes to tear apart my drawers just like her big brother did. It seems like just yesterday he was experimenting with all my utensil and now she is into everything. Hey whatever I need to do to get dinner on the table!

Dinners Served

Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Rice Casserole
borrowed from the Picky Palate

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
½ lb diced ham
2 Cups cooked shredded chicken breast
4 Tablespoons butter
¼ Cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
14 oz can chicken broth
3 Cups cooked rice of choice (I use Success Boil in the Bag brown rice its very good for casseroles)
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Cup shredded swiss cheese---I omit the cheddar and use 2 cups swiss

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil into a large 5 qt rimmed skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic, ham and chicken. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Melt butter then stir in flour, salt and pepper until combined.
Slowly stir in chicken broth until well combined.
Stir in cooked rice then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Top with cheddar and swiss cheeses.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Cover the dish with foil the last 10 minutes for oozing cheese.
6-8 servings

VERDICT
You know how I love a good casserole. This one does not disappoint. It is really easy to put together, the ingredients are pretty basic and the results are delicious. I did make a slight change in that I stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheese into the casserole and sprinkle a 1/2 cup on top. I like more cheese throughout instead of a thick layer on the top. There really isn't that much to say because this dish has made its 4th appearance on our table so its a winner.