Matt Cooking Stuff, Recipes

Risotto w/ Shrimp and Asparagus

MAJOR FAIL! I now know that when something calls for Arborio rice, I shouldn’t use brown rice.

Aya was requesting a risotto with asparagus for dinner. I had made a simple risotto dish here and there before and was up for the challenge. When scanning the ingredients I did see that it called for Arborio rice, which I had never used. Aya indicated that brown rice would be fine. But let me tell you, it wasn’t.

The cook time for this recipe was about 30 minutes. And about thirty minutes in I started wonder how this rice could possibly be done in 30 minutes when it takes at least an hour in the rice cooker. Well, two and half hours later of stirring in three times as much water and broth as the recipe called for, it still never cooked all the way threw.

So I defrosted some already cooked rice from the freezer, added the shrimp and asparagus, and some broth and called it a day. This recipe beat me, but I am determined to make this again the correct way with Arborio rice.

RECIPES:

Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus

Matt Cooking Stuff, Recipes

BBQ Chicken Pita Pizza

My friend recently introduced me to making pizza with pita bread for lunch. It seemed so easy, and tasty! So not wanting to really cook, I decided to make those for dinner. We each had our own pizza and could choose our own toppings. Aya and I did BBQ sauce with chicken. I added red onions and she added asparagus both topped with mozzarella cheese. Ellie had tomato sauce with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Easy, tasty, and super fast.

Matt Cooking Stuff, Recipes

Thai Red Curry Chicken

This recipe calls for shrimp, but I substituted chicken. It’s a super simple red curry sauce that tastes really good too. You can add whatever vegetables you want. I’ll make this again in the summer with eggplant from the garden.

RECIPES:

Thai Red Curry Chicken

Matt Cooking Stuff, Recipes

Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta

I had to bring a dish to my sewing class potluck. And when the teacher said, “Let’s see if the young ones can cook,” I knew I didn’t want to just bring whatever. I needed something fancy but didn’t wreak of effort. Something that said, “Oh this? I just whipped this up last minute before class. What, you don’t make your own vinaigrette too?” So this is what I chose.

One lady assumed my wife made it and asked if I had to call home when they asked what was in it. And when I said I did all the cooking at my house, they said, “You do all the cooking, but can you clean windows?” Sigh… Yes I clean windows.

Anyway, what was really good about this was that the dressing wasn’t very oily. It was mostly orange juice and lemon juice. But the mustard and rice vinegar helped tone down the citrus intensity. And instead of tomatoes it has red grapes. I really liked this and it was easy to throw together. I imagine you could make this without the chicken too. I’m making it again this weekend for a family gathering.

RECIPES:

Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Salad

 

Matt Cooking Stuff, Recipes

Chocolate-Banana French Toast

Woah! Although this was fantastic, I do have to say that it was a little too chocolatey to be considered breakfast. I think it was a little too chocolatey for Ellie too. She loved it, but after a small portion she had enough. This is definitely something I would save for special occasions. I think I need some fresh strawberries to cleanse my palate.

RECIPES:

Chocolate Banana French Toast