Tomato Basil and Spinach Risotto

This is one of our current favorites!  It's great as an entree or a side dish, if using as an entree this recipe only makes a enough for two but it's super easy to double!  I love risotto and the combination of the tomatoes, spinach and basil just leaves the dish feeling fresh and delicious.  This recipe is slightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats.

2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove (minced)
salt & pepper
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 vine-ripened tomatoes (chopped)
2 cups baby spinach
handful torn basil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a small pot bring chicken broth to a boil, reduce heat and keep hot.  In a large skillet melt butter, add garlic and saute for about a minute. Season with salt and pepper then add arborio rice. Coat the rice with the melted butter. Add in the wine, stir until the wine is almost fully absorbed into the rice. Add 1/2 a cup of broth at a time, stirring and letting it absorb before adding more.  Do this until 1/4 a cup of broth remains.  Add tomatoes and stir. Let cook for a minute then add spinach and basil.  Add the remaining chicken brother and stir in parmesan cheese.  Serve warm. 

Maple Brown Sugar Muffins

I love muffins. Who doesn't love muffins? And I ADORE these muffins from Cassie Craves!

Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp cold butter

Heat oven to 400. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl combine milk, butter, maple syrup, sour cream, egg and vanilla extract.  Stir the dry ingredients into the milk mixture until combined.  Fill greased muffin tins 2/3s full.  In a small mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Cut butter into the mixture.  Crumble the topping over the muffins.  Bake for 16 to 20 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm. 

Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

We have been eating a lot less meat around our house.  It's not that we are sudden vegetarians it's more that we want to be able to buy good quality meat and that costs more than your average grocery store meat which means we are eating it less frequently.  We have both said again and again that we really don't miss it.  Thankfully there are tons of awesome meatless recipes out there and this is one of them.  It's slightly adapted from Annie's Eats.

4-6 large portabello mushrooms
3 cloves garlic (minced)
11/2 tbsp olive oil
Coarsely ground salt and pepper (to taste)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 oz mozzarella cheese (divided)
2/3 cup drained frozen chopped spinach
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup tomato sauce

Heat oven to 425. Rinse mushrooms. Remove stems and scoop out the gills of the mushrooms.  Mix together salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil.  Brush the inside of the mushroom with the oil mixture.  Roast in the oven for 10 minutes.  In a mixing blow combine ricotta, egg, parmesan,  3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, spinach and Italian seasoning.  Once the mushrooms have cooked remove from oven and fill with ricotta mixture, top with tomato sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. 

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pancakes

I love breakfast for dinner and these pancakes have quickly become a favorite in our house.  One thing I love about this recipe is it doesn't make a ton of pancakes, it usually makes between 7 or 8 and since there are only 2 of us that will eat them I love that there aren't tons of left overs.  This recipe is from A Cozy Bee.

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup buttermilk

In a small bowl mix together the quick-cooking oats, whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and brown sugar.  In a separate bowl combine the egg, canola oil and buttermilk.  Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just moistened. Cook on a hot greased griddle. 

Cheesy Onion Beer Bread

I've made this yummy bread from Shugary Sweet as a side to soup and it's a perfect warm flavorful bread to go along with a blow of pipping hot soup.

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 green onion (finely sliced)
12 oz beer
1/4 cup butter (melted)

Heat oven to 375. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheddar cheese and onion.  Add the beer and stir until just combined.  Pour into a greased loaf pan.  Pour the melted butter across the top of the batter. Bake for 50 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.