White Bean Salad with Valencia Oranges & Celery

I made this recipe yesterday for a cookbook club dinner. Everyone in the group selected a salad from America's Test Kitchen the complete SALAD cookbook.

Serves 6
 
Ingredients
 
1/3 cup Olive oil, extra virgin
4 Garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Table salt for steeping beans
3 (15-ounce) cans Cannellini beans or small white beans, rinsed
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar
1 Shallot
2 Valencia or navel oranges
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
 
Directions
 
Heat 1 T oil and garlic in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
 
Add 2 cups water and 1 t salt and bring to a simmer. Off heat, add beans, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Combine vinegar and shallot in large bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Cut away peel and pith from oranges. Holding fruit over bowl, use a paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments.
 
Drain beans and discard garlic. Add beans, oranges, celery, parsley, and remaining oil to shallot mixture and toss until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit until flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Serve.
 
My Notes:
 
I chopped up some of the cooked garlic into the salad.
 
This tastes even better the next day.
 
Next time I will use cilantro. Also, the 1/2 cup of parsley overwhelmed the salad.
 
Cutting between the orange segments was quite messy. I used naval oranges.

Herb Lemon White Bean Salad

I made this delicious salad for the 4th of July today (2024).  I followed this recipe: 

https://www.fifteenspatulas.com/herb-lemon-white-bean-salad/

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic pressed
1/2 t kosher salt
1/8 t black pepper
2 15oz cans of cannellini beans rinsed and drained
1/4 c chopped parsley
1/4 c finely chopped red onion
1 T minced fresh rosemary
 

Instructions 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
 
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Try to let the salad sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, to let the flavors meld together.

My notes: 

This recipe definitely serves more than four people. I've made this for a large group and used three cans of beans and adjusted the other ingredients.

I added:
 
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, quartered
 
I finely minced the garlic instead of pressing it
 
About a tablespoon of lemon infused oil
 
One large celery stalk, chopped small
 
1 T each Red wine vinegar and Dijon for the dressing
 
I prepared the salad the day before serving to let the flavors meld.

Rosemary Focaccia

This is a recipe from The Tucci Cookbook (2012). I made this as a trial run for my cookbook dinner for next week.

Ingredients
 
1 package dry yeast
2 ¼ teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 c all-purpose flour
2 c bread flour
4 t kosher salt [divided]
1 c milk
5 T oil, plus more for oiling the bowl
Leaves from one 5-inch fresh rosemary
 
Directions
 
In a measuring cup, stir the yeast, sugar and warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
 
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the all-purpose and bread flours with 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir in the yeast mixture. Gradually stir in the milk and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Mix at low speed until the dough has come together and is smooth, about 5 minutes.
 
(To mix by hand: Combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour and the 2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of these dry ingredients and add the yeast mixture. Mix with a fork while adding the milk and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to form a soft, dry dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue mixing it with your hands. Knead until the dough has come together and is smooth, about 8 minutes.)
 
Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and drape a dish towel over the bowl. Set aside in a warm place and allow to double in size, about 2 hours.
 
Lightly grease a large baking sheet (about 9 x 15-inch). Gently punch down the dough. Place it on a baking sheet and roll it out to fit evenly on the sheet. Cover with a dish towel and the dough to rise for 20 minutes.
 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
 
Use your fingertips to make random indentations in the dough. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and the rosemary leaves. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving warm.
 
Variations
 
Before baking, top the focaccia with any combination of the following ingredients:  1/4 inch thick slices ripe plum tomatoes, 24 pitted Kalamata olives, 1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion, 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese; 1/4 inch thick slices peeled eggplant; 1/4 inch  thick slices zucchini; 1/4 inch thick slices peppers; 1/3 cup pesto.
 
For a sweet variation on this recipe, gently 1 cup dried fruit such as raisins, cherries or blueberries, or 1 cup chocolate chips; into the rolled and risen focaccia. Brush with 3 tablespoons melted butter and bake.
  

  

  

  

My Notes
 
I mixed by hand, as I didn't have an electric mixer.

The dough more than doubled the size. Next time check at 1 hour 40 minutes.
 
I used a 10 x 15 baking sheet.
 
I used a teaspoon of kosher salt on the top.
 
I added Kalamata olives and red onions with the rosemary.  Next time I won’t slice the onions so thinly.
 
Next time I’ll check the bread in the oven at 20 minutes. I looked through the oven door and it didn’t seem baked long enough. It came out a little more than golden brown, but it came out very good.
 
I served with some olive oil for dipping.

26 June 2024:

I made this again for tonight's cookbook dinner. I added sliced cherry tomatoes along with red onion, Kalamata olives and rosemary. It came out great.

 

 

Crostini

This is an easy to use for various appetizers.

This makes about 20-22 slices.

Ingredients
1 French-bread baguette, sliced 1/4" thick
1/4 cup (or more)  extra virgin olive oil for brushing
1 Garlic clove, whole
Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F
Lightly brush both sides of each side with olive oil using a pastry brush – just a thin layer of olive oil.

Place the slices in a single layer on two baking sheets. You can line with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Bake on middle rack for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden; then turn them over and bake the second side, about the same time.  Alternatively, you can broil them for 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

Once out of the oven, rub the garlic clove on each slice and lightly sprinkle with salt on top. 

Serve at room temperature with cheese spreads, charcuterie board, pates, hummus, preserves, etc.

Notes:

The crostini can be made up to two days ahead of time as long as you keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. I prefer to make them the same day that I serve my appetizers.

I salt just one side of the crostini.

My Seared Scallops

I made seared scallops last night (10 June 2024), which I served with a side of broccoli, and a mushroom and spinach risotto.

 
Serves 1
 
Ingredients
 
5 large sea scallops
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour

2 T  avocado oil
1 T butter
Squeeze of fresh lemon
1 T or so white wine
 
Instructions
 
Pat dry the scallops with a paper towel to remove any excess water.
 
Place the scallops onto a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then lightly coat with the flour.
 
In a skillet on medium-high heat, add the oil and butter. Once hot, add the scallops in one layer (don’t move them until ready to flip over) and cook for 90-120 seconds; flip over and cook for another 90 seconds until they are golden brown.  You don't want to overcook the scallops. the center should be translucent. 
 
Remove the scallops to a serving dish and deglaze the pan with the wine scraping any bits to get all that yummy flavor to make a sauce. Pour over the scallops and squeeze lemon over the top.
 

Service right away with your favorite sides.

Notes:

I made a delicious mushroom risotto with spinach and parmesan to go with the scallops: 

https://sunbasket.com/recipe/mushroom-risotto-with-spinach-and-parmesan

I cut the recipe in half, which still made a lot, so have leftovers. 
 
I added one clove of garlic, chopped, when I added the onions to the pan.
 
I used chicken broth instead of water.
 
I did not add any additional salt and pepper when I added the parmesan cheese at the end (missing in the instructions).
 
What I really liked about this recipe is that it calls for adding all the water (broth) at one time, rather than a traditional risotto recipe where you add the broth a little a time until it's all absorbed. 

Italian Shrimp Salad

My friend Jackie made this excellent, healthy shrimp salad for our book club evening (5 June 2024). I really loved it, so I made it for a BBQ.

The recipe is from Skinny Taste: https://www.skinnytaste.com/italian-shrimp-salad/

6 Servings (about 7 cups)
 
Ingredients
 
1 1/4 lbs cooked (peeled and deveined jumbo (16-20 count) shrimp, tails-off, halved (20 ounces total))
1 cup sliced celery
1 1/3 cups good quality mixed Italian pitted olives (such as Castelvetrano and Kalamata Olives, halved lengthwise)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2 small lemons
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper (to taste)
 
Instructions
 
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix.
 
Refrigerate a few hours or overnight to let the flavors meld.

My Notes:

The only thing I did a little differently was to cut the shrimp into chunks. 

I added some lemon zest. 

I used 4 cloves of garlic. 

I let the salad marinade in a zip lock bag for 5 hours.

Benedictine Spread

 

My husband and I attended a Derby party (4 May 2024). 

I followed this recipe:  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/benedictine-spread/

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes.   

Makes 1-3/4 cups
 
Ingredients
 
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
1 drop green food coloring, optional
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber, patted dry
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
 
Optional: Snack rye bread, pita bread wedges and assorted fresh vegetables
 
Directions
 
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, white pepper, dill and, if desired, food coloring; beat until smooth.
 
Stir in cucumber and onion.
 

Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with snack rye bread, pita bread wedges, or vegetables as desired.
 
My Notes: 

I doubled this recipe since there we a lot of people at the party.

I added 1 T lemon juice and a little more mayonnaise.  

I skipped the food coloring.

For the cucumber, I removed the seeds.

My husband doesn't like a lot of raw onions, so I sautéed the onions (except for 1 T) in a little olive oil just until translucent. 

I sprinkled a little bit of dill on top of the dip after placing the spread into a serving bowl.  

I served this with fresh rye bread that I quartered. You can also serve with pumpernickel or crostini.

Here's my recipe for crostini:  https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2024/06/crostini.html

Lentil Salad

Donna made this delicious salad for our book club last night (6 March 2024). Everyone loved it!

Ingredients
 
1 can lentils
1 cup finely diced carrots
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 
Directions

Combine and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup with Sesame and Green Onions

My friend Candy followed this recipe for a soup dinner at our book club last night: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chinese-chicken-noodle-soup-with-sesame-and-green-onions-106192 

The chicken was tender and I loved the flavor of the broth with the fresh ginger and other ingredients. 

 
Ingredients:
 
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into thin strips
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)*
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce**
4 cups chopped Napa cabbage (from 1 head)
6 green onions, thinly sliced
8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 14-ounce package fresh yakisoba noodles or Chinese pan-fry noodles
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
 
Directions:
 
Stir chicken, soy sauce, Sherry, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in medium bowl to blend. Let stand 20 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
 
Whisk garlic, tahini, ginger, sugar, vinegar, and chili sauce in small bowl.
 
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and green onions and sauté until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add chicken with marinade and tahini-garlic mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
 
Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add to soup in pot. Stir in half of cilantro. Season soup with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.
 

* Sold at Middle Eastern markets, natural foods stores and some supermarkets.
 
** Available at Asian markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

This was a delicious soup that I made today for my book club for tonight! Tonight is a soup bowl party, along with discussing our book. 

Recipe by: https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/instant-pot-split-pea-soup-ham-bone/. See my notes below of my additions/changes.

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Time to pressurize and depressurize 25 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings: 8 servings
 
Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion diced
2 ribs celery diced
2 carrots diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cooked ham bone, a smoked ham hock, or 6 oz. diced deli ham (Don’t use fresh/uncooked ham or country ham)
1 lb. dry split peas sorted through and rinsed
6 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth or veggie stock, water, or a mixture
2 bay leaves
kosher salt and black pepper [don’t add salt if using a broth with salt]
chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional                                            
 

   

Instructions
 

Turn pressure cooker to the "sauté" setting. Melt butter and sauté onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes, until softened.

 

Add the split peas, chicken stock, ham bone, and the 2 bay leaves.

 
Turn off the "sauté" function.
 
Cover pressure cooker and set to manual, high pressure for 15 minutes.
 
Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10-15 minutes. Then, quick release the pressure valve.
 
If you used a ham bone or hock: remove the it from the soup and remove the ham meat that's still attached to it. Add the ham meat back into the soup.
 
Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary (see notes). Serve immediately, or store in your refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
 
My Notes:
 
I used 3 T avocado oil instead of butter.
I added 2 cloves of garlic, minced, along with the vegetables.
I added a pinch of dried thyme.

I did the natural release for 14 minutes before the quick release.

This was such an easy soup to make with the instant pot. This recipe is a keeper!

Authentic German Beer Cheese Dip Obatzda

Click on the photos for a full view.

I made this yesterday for a Sound of Music! dinner party. There was a wonderful spread of foods to include fresh-made pretzels, brats, sauerkraut, Wiener Schnitzel, Stuffed Cabbage, German potato salad, spaetzle, apple strudel, German beer, a beautiful meat and cheese board, etc.; and this dip that I made.  

This recipe is from https://ourgabledhome.com/german-beer-cheese-dip-obatzda/
 
Prep Time 10min
Total Time10min
 
Servings: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
 
8 oz brie or camembert cheese, very ripe
4 oz butter
4 oz cream cheese
1 small onion or 1 shallot
2 tsp paprika powder
1-2 T beer
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T chives, chopped
 
Instructions
 
Make sure to have all your ingredients at room temperature. That means taking the cheese, cream cheese, and butter out of the refrigerator at least one hour before you want to make this cheese spread.
 
Cut the cheese, the butter, and the cream cheese into chunks and add them to a medium bowl.
 
Begin mixing them with a fork or pastry blender.
 
Add the paprika and some salt and pepper.
 
Now add a splash of beer and mix all the ingredients well. I personally like it a bit on the chunkier, stiffer side but you can also add a bit more beer and blend everything into more of a uniform cream.
 
Transfer it to a nice serving bowl and sprinkle it with some diced chives.
 
My Notes:
 
I cut the amount of butter to just two dabs. For me, with all the cheese, I didn’t think all that butter was needed.  
 
I used a shallot, minced.

I added a t of ground caraway seeds and sweet Hungarian paprika.
 
For the beer, I used Negra Modelo Especial, which is a Munich Dunkel Lager. I used 3-4 T of beer.
 
I was a little heavy on the salt, so I added a more cream cheese.
 
I served it with pumpernickel bread at a dinner party. 
 
This was a hit.

Click on the photos for a full view.

Turkey Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

24 Jan 2024

December 2022: My friend Amy C made this for our book club. 

This makes 16 roll ups.

Ingredients:

1 package lasagna noodles (use the kind you Boil, not the no boil ones)

1 jar tomato sauce (I used Lowes Spicy Arrabbiata sauce)

1 15-oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1 lb ground turkey

1 small container fresh baby spinach

32 oz. Ricotta cheese (I used part skim)

1 egg

~1 tsp Italian seasoning

~1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1) Boil large pot of water and cook lasagna according to package (suggest cooking in 2 batches so the noodles don't stick)

2) Mix tomato sauce and fire roasted tomatoes together

3) While lasagna is cooking brown ground turkey and drain off any excess liquid/fat then mix with a little bit of the fire roasted tomatoes

4) When lasagna is cooked, carefully coat with a bit of tomato sauce and then lay out flat to cool for a bit

5) Chiffonade (thin slice) the baby spinach

6) Mix together Ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning and garlic powder to taste

7) When cheese, egg, etc. are well mixed add in spinach and stir well to coat it all and evenly distribute

8) Coat the bottom of a ceramic baking dish with a bit of sauce

9) When lasagna noodles are cool enough to handle lay out one at a time on parchment paper and smear with cheese/spinach mix leaving about 1-2 inches at top of noodle clear, sprinkle with a bit of turkey and shredded mozzarella

10) Starting from bottom roll up the loaded lasagna noodle

11) Place upright in the baking dish, repeat

12) Lightly drizzle top and dish side of noodles with any remaining sauce

13) Cover with tinfoil 

14) Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes 

My Notes: 

I made this on 22 January 2024 (photos below).

I had a large pot to cook all of the lasagna noodles (added 2 T of salt) at one time. I rinsed them in cold water after boiling and to stop the cooking process.

For the ricotta filling, Amy's recipe calls for 32 oz. I may not have used enough, as I had a lot left over (Tony made lasagna a few days later, so that worked out well). I will either add more filling the next time or just buy a 15 oz container.  I added some parmesan cheese and mozzarella  to the mixture. Next time I'll chop the spinach. 

For the meat sauce, I sautéed 1/2 cup of chopped onion and 2 cloves chopped garlic with 1 T olive oil before adding and browning the meat. I seasoned with salt and pepper. I added Rao's marinara sauce, the fire roasted tomatoes (drained), and some hot pepper flakes.

I laid out the lasagna on top of parchment paper so that it didn't stick to the counter and added the filling and meat mixture. Instead of standing these, I laid them on the sides seam down (14 in a glass 9x13 baking pan; two in a smaller baking pan, which I wrapped tightly and froze for a future dinner). 

I baked this for 40 minutes, then uncovered and broiled for 2-3 minutes until the mozzarella cheese was bubbly. 

This came out great and my friends that were over for dinner loved it. 

The next time I will do a combination of beef and Italian sausage. 

Antipasto Platter

I made this today for an Italian dinner party. 

Adapted from:  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/antipasto-platter/

 

Ingredients

 
1 jar (24 ounces) pepperoncini, drained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups halved fresh mushrooms
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 pound provolone cheese, cubed
1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
1 bottle (8 ounces) Italian vinaigrette dressing
Lettuce leaves
 
Directions
 
In a large bowl, combine pepperoncini, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, provolone cheese, olives and pepperoni. Pour vinaigrette over mixture; toss to coat.
 
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Arrange on a lettuce-lined platter. Serve with toothpicks.
 
My Notes:
 
The recipe I followed (and adapted) stated it serves 16. I reduced the recipe for my dinner.
 
I didn’t use garbanzo beans. I didn’t bother with the lettuce leaves.
 
I quartered the mushrooms, as they were large.
 
I added pearl mozzarella, cooked cheese tortellini, quartered artichoke hearts, sliced roasted red peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes.
 
For the pepperoncini, I sliced them in half, lengthwise, and seeded them.
 
I let chill in the refrigerator for 5.5 hours; then plated everything onto a serving dish. 

Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto (with spinach)

This is a delicious risotto that I made last night to go along with salmon that I baked in parchment paper. This was very easy to make in the Instant Pot. I adapted this recipe https://pressureluckcooking.com/instant-pot-mushroom-risotto/. See my Notes at the bottom of what I changed or added. 

 

PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME 14 minutes
TOTAL TIME 19 minutes
YIELD: 6

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp of vegetable oil
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) of salted butter, divided in half
2 large shallots, diced
24 oz (or three 8 oz packages) of Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp of crushed garlic [1 clove]
2 cups of Arborio rice (make sure you use Arborio rice for a risotto)
4.5 cups of mushroom broth (or chicken, garlic or vegetable broth – I used 4.5 tsp of Mushroom Better Than Bouillon + 4.5 cups of water)
1/2 cup of a dry white wine (white cooking wine is fine too – but if you don’t use wine, add another 1/2 cup of broth)
1 tsp of seasoned salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp of Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp of dried parsley
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp of white or black truffle oil
 
Instructions
 
Add the vegetable oil and the first 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) of butter to the Instant Pot
 
Hit “Sauté” and “Adjust” so it’s on the “More” or “High” setting and wait until the butter has melted and it bubbles.

Add the shallots and cook for about 2 minutes so it softens and just lightly browns. Then, add the garlic and sauté for another minute with the shallots. Lastly, add the mushrooms and add the other 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) of butter. Stir constantly with the shallots and garlic for another 2-3 minutes until the butter’s melted and the mushrooms brown a bit in color 
 
Next, add in the white wine and once it bubbles, let it do so for another minute so the mushrooms simmer in it as you deglaze (scrape) the bottom of the pot to make sure it’s free and clear of any veggie remnants from sautéing (NOTE: If not using wine, add in 1/2 cup of the broth now)
 
Add in the rice and mix it in with everything in the pot and let sauté for 1 minute
 
Lastly, add in the broth, seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning and dried parsley. Stir well, once again deglazing the bottom of the pot so nothing’s stuck on. (NOTE: It will look like there’s way too much liquid in the pot given how much risotto is in it, but trust me. It will be magical and perfect once cooked since Arborio rice is a major liquid absorber once cooked)
 
Secure the lid, hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release when done. Once the lid comes off, stir everything together and it will immediately be the right consistency.
 
Add in the grated Parmesan cheese and truffle oil, stir until well combined and transfer to a serving dish
 
If you want more truffle oil, add more after tasting or drizzle over individual servings. 

My Notes:
 
I cut the recipe in half but kept the same cooking times. I didn't want to make the entire recipe for just the two of us, and I read that freezing risotto isn't a great idea. The texture of the risotto will change. I also read that if you freeze the risotto, you could later make Arancini di Riso (fried rice balls). I think I'll do that!

I used avocado oil instead of vegetable oil.

 
I didn’t have shallots on hand, so I just used a white onion, chopped, about 1 cup.
 
Once the lid came off, I added some truffle oil, a 1/2 teaspoon of Trader Joe’s truffle powder seasoning (kicking up that wonderful mushroom flavor), 1 cup (packed) chopped fresh spinach, and 1 tablespoon half and half.
 
I found I needed to stir in more parmesan cheese, and a little more salt.

It took four minutes to come to pressure. 

Overall, this is an excellent risotto. In fact my husband said it was the best he's ever had.

 

Tres Leches - Mexican Flan

This is one of my favorite (and super easy) desserts to make. It's always a hit at my parties, or when I bring to a friend's house.  This is a Mexican flan that's made with three types of milks.  

Adapted from: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Desserts/MexicanFlan.htm 

                                                                                                  

My notes in [ … ]

Yields: 6 servings [More like 8 - 12 servings]
Prep time: 30 min
Carmel cook time: 10 min
Flan cook time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
Drop of lemon juice
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Zest of one orange
2 cups whole or 2% milk [I used half and half]

5 large eggs [I used extra large]
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Heavy-bottom, high-sided saucepan
8 1/2-inch rectangular loaf pan  [I used an 8 x 8 baking dish]
Large high-sided pan (to set the loaf pan in)

Prepare Caramel - Caramelized Sugar:

In the saucepan over low to medium-low heat, combine 1 cup sugar and a drop of lemon juice (the lemon juice keeps the mixture from hardening or crystalizing). Keep it on a low heat and watch that the sugar doesn't burn. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour quickly into the pan (be very careful not to get any on you) and coat the entire bottom. Set aside. 

 

Prepare Flan:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. or 180 degrees C. Adjust oven rack to center position.

In a blender, combine evaporated milk, condensed milk, orange zest, whole or 2% milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt; process until smooth. Let the flan mixture sit approximately 10 to 15 minutes. After resting, remove any top foam that formed when blending the ingredients and discard. Stir the flan mixture just before pouring in your loaf baking pan.

 

Pour the prepared flan mixture into the loaf pan [you will see a lot of the grated orange zest at the bottom of the blender, so be sure to scrape all that good flavor into the pan]. 

Place the filled loaf pan into an ovenproof roasting or baking pan. If cooking custards in a metal pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of newspaper to ensure an even temperature on the bottom.

Bring the water for the water bath to a light simmer on top of the stove; carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come half-way up the sides of the loaf pan. For ease of carrying, first place the larger pan (containing the filled loaf pan) on the oven rack, then pour the boiling water into the large baking pan. It is so much easier than moving the pans with water in them.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes (depending on depth of your pan) or until set around the edges but still loose in the center. When the center of custard is just set, it will jiggle a little when shaken, that's when you can remove it from the oven (the flans will continue to set as they cool). If using a digital instant-read thermometer, insert in the centers, it should register 180 degrees F. Begin checking temperature about 10 minutes before recommended times.

Remove from oven and remove the flan pan from the water bath. Place on your counter and let cool approximately 60 minutes.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

To Unmold and Serve:

When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator at least 1 hour before unmolding.

Using a thin knife, separate the edge of the flan from the pan to make sure that the flan edges are not sticking to the sides of the pan.

Place a flat bottom plate on top of the pan and flip over. Let sit for about 15 minutes before removing the pan. The caramel will drip over the top and sides of the flan. Any leftover in the pan, just scrape on top of the flan.

My Notes:

Yum!! This is now one of my favorite desserts to make. Very easy to make and so delicious!! I love the hint of the orange zest.

I will prepare the flan mixture before making the caramel, as the flan mixture has to rest for about 10-15 minutes.

I typically bake this for 65 minutes. 

I keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours; I don't let it sit for an hour before unmolding. I don't wait for 15 minutes to remove the baking pan. The caramel will be liquidly. I just scrape out the extra caramel on top of the flan.

This is another recipe that I make that calls for cream cheese: 

http://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2008/05/cream-cheese-flan.html