Great Risottos Made Easy

I have a bit of a reputation for making a good risotto. My husband, in fact, refuses to order risotto on the odd occasion we eat out, for fear it won't live up to his expectations :D A couple of people recently have asked me for the recipe, and I thought I might as well share it on here with you. Enjoy :)

1 onion (or half, if you don't feel like chopping lots of onion)
Garlic to taste (I usually use a good 5-6 cloves, but then again, I love garlic. 2 is probably okay too! :D)
1c arborio rice (MUST be arborio or it won't be nice and creamy at the end)
3.5 - 4c stock (I use chicken stock with orange veggies and vegetable stock with everything else. The amount you need will depend on the rice: stop once it's cooked through and don't worry about any excess stock, as you don't want a gluggy risotto)
1/3 - 1/2c parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Make up the stock and put it in a saucepan over a VERY low heat on the stove. You just want to keep it warm so it incorporates easier.

Finely dice then saute the garlic and onion in some oil (I like olive).

Add the rice, stir so it's coated in the oil, then add enough stock to just cover the rice. Give it a good stir. Bring it to the boil, then turn the heat down so it's just gently simmering. Keep a close eye on it, stirring a couple of times every minute so the rice cooks evenly and doesn't stick, and as soon as you can drag the spoon from one side of the pan to the other in about half a second and still see the bottom of the pan, add another ladle-ful of stock. Continue this until all the stock is gone.

Check to make sure the rice is cooked through (make sure it's not crunchy) but turn off the heat as soon as the last stock is absorbed so the risotto doesn't dry out (yuck). Stir through the parmesan until it's all melted, season to taste, and serve!! :)

If you want to add things to make it tastier, this is what you add when:

• Vegetables that need sauteing to soften them go in with the onion at the beginning (eg capsicum, mushrooms).
• Spices go in with the onion at the beginning (heat releases their smell and taste).
• Green leafies go in at the very end, after the parmesan (this includes herbs).
• Other vegetables are best pre-cooked (microwaved or baked) and added once the last stock is absorbed but before the parmesan. (I often microwave pumpkin or sweet potato then grill it with sea salt and olive oil). This is also when you would add any meat (pre-cooked).
• Feta can be added either before the parmesan if you wanted it melted in a bit, or after if you want it chunkier.
• You can also add flavours to the stock - try substituting some of it with red wine vinegar, or a splash of lemon juice, for example.

And that's it! Too easy :)

Sweet and Spicy Chili (with the Vegetarian option!)

I love spicy food, and I'm an unapologetic carnivore. When cold season hits, I serve high octane protein on the basis that if it doesn't kill you, it will knock out any virus that came calling.

Everyone knows how to make chili, you dump things in a pot and simmer until it tastes right. So don't take this recipe as doctrine, it's a starter template. Adjust as you like to suit your style.

This dish is savory and sweet, with enough heat to handle your worst head cold, and kill small children. If you want something a little less spicy, use fewer - or sweeter- peppers. Or stir sour cream into your bowl when you serve. Dairy kills the heat factor.

Ingredients
- 1 large onion chopped fine
- 1 head of garlic (about 18 cloves)
- 2-3 large bell peppers, seeded
- 4-20 chili peppers, seeded (four is spicy, twenty will kill people, choose something else if you
want less heat)
- 1 packet of chili seasoning -or- chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, a pinch of
cumin or oregano... combine and add as needed
- 8 slices of bacon -or- 2tbspn butter or olive oil
- 1/2 cup of frozen corn
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar divided (you won't use this all)
- 1tbspn olive oil
- 2 cups beef stock or vegetable stock
- 1 pound ground beef/turkey/soy substitute browned
- 16oz can diced tomatoes (about four large tomatoes fresh diced)
- 16oz can tomato sauce (or another four tomatoes, diced)
- 16oz can kidney beans of any color, rinsed

Equipment
- crock pot or giant pot for simmering
- tin foil
- glass baking dish
- cutting board
- frying pan
- oven
- plastic bag
- plastic gloves for handling chilis

Directions
1. Turn the oven on to 400(F), break the garlic cloves apart (leave the peel on), drop in the glass baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, cover with foil and bake until fragrant - about 20 minutes.

2. Broil the bell peppers and half of the chili peppers, brushed with olive oil for 2 minutes, or bake for 10, until skin starts to blacken. Using tongs drop the peppers into a plastic bag to sweat. After they are cool, peel the skins.

3. Add rinsed beans, tomatoes, corn, beef stock, and seasoning packet to the big pot. Turn on low to start heating to a simmer. I like making this in the crock pot because it can simmer all day.

4. Chop roasted pepper and garlic, add to pot.

5. Dice the bacon into 1 inch pieces, fry, add onions and turn the pan to medium-low. You want the onions to slowly caramelize and turn brown. This takes 20-30 minutes. If they aren't turning start adding sugar a pinch at a time.

6. Drain the grease from the bacon and onions. Add bacon and onions to the pot.

7. Bring pot to a rapid simmer.

8. Stir in cinnamon, cocoa powder, and molasses. Adjust seasonings as needed.

9. Simmer for 1-10 hours on low in a crock pot or 1-2 hours on the stove. Serve with your favorite toppings. In my house we top chili with sharp cheddar, avocado, sour cream, and cream onion and eat with tortilla chips or ladled over a hot dog on a bun.

Enjoy!

Garlicky Fingers

We all know that although garlic tastes wonderful and is a welcome addition to virtually any savoury dish, the smell that it leaves behind on your fingers is less than appealing.

But! Help is at hand.

When your fingers are covered in garlic, wash them with water and a bar of stainless steel soap. If you can't find stainless steel soap, or can't be bothered buying it, use something closer to hand - your stainless steel kitchen sink.

The steel reacts with the garlic residue, removing the smell from your fingers. Just like that!