Asparagus Risotto

It has been 3 years (since last week) that my girlfriend and I have been together. In accordance, I wanted to make her a special dinner, complete with white wine and a little bit of fun. One of the dishes I prepared (and that came out the best) was Asparagus Risotto.

During the cooking process the sauce turns into a creamy, not-too-rich-but-just-rich-enough flavor that had us coming back for more and more. I made so much of it too, that it's lasted us three whole meals.

The only change I am going to make to it next time is to eliminate the cheese since it didn't add much flavor or texture, and besides, I'm not a huge cheese fan anyway. It was delicious, though, and I encourage everyone to try this out. I've also included several substitutions if you don't have all the ingredients on hand. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pie

Southern Buttermilk Pie, I do declare. A more surprisingly delicious pie you will not have. Soft, moist, reminds-you-of-custard/creme brulee-and-a-little-bit-of-home-even-though-you've-never-had-it-before goodness, all while instilling a sense of zomg deep within your mortal soul.

Now you're probably thinking "Buttermilk? Aint that the bitterest kind of milk there is? How's that gonna get good? Or even pie good? You tell me that!" Fine. I'll tell you. The secret is...

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Baked Fries

We all know what baked fries are. We all know they're healthier than regular fries; who needs all that extra oil, grease, and fat? But how many of us knew how simple it was to make restaurant-quality baked fries right at home?

I didn't - until yesterday.

A simple matter of knowing how to cut the potato correctly and when to add the garlic is all you need to make this delicious side dish for the whole family. But more on that after the jump. Enjoy!

Pan-Seared Turmeric Rice with Wine Sauce

The other night we made a ton of rice - not sure why exactly, but we did. That's a good thing though because day-old rice can be turned into so many wonderful dishes like fried rice or paella or what have you. The wonderful color of this dish comes from the little turmeric that was added while the flavor comes from the Edna Valley Chardonnay that was left in the fridge. Hardly any oil is used at all, and the rest of the moisture in the rice is from pure, simple water, making this a pretty healthy dish as well.

There's not as much of a need to follow the specific recipe here as this is a flavor-to-taste kind of dish. Enjoy!

Healthy Chicken Continental

Ever since I started making the outrageously delicious original Chicken Continental recipe a few years ago, I wanted to make it healthier. All that unhealthy (and yummy) butter and flour are great and all, yet I was wincing a little when I put it all in the pan.

But have no fear!

I believe I've finally come up with a Healthy Chicken Continental recipe that is sure to please. More after the jump. Enjoy!

Healthy Chicken Continental

Yield: 10-12 servings
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. chicken breasts (cut up, bite size, or as strips)
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• and/or 1 teaspoon McCormick Montreal chicken seasoning
• 1 egg (optional)
• 1 spoonful Smart Balance
• a light splash of canola oil or olive oil
• 3 10.5 oz cans 98% fat-free Cream of Chicken Soup
• 2 1/2 tablespoon grated onion (I use dried onion)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• dash pepper
• 2 tablespoon chopped parsley (I used dried parsley flakes)
• 1 teaspoon dried celery flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 2 cans water (size of the soup cans)
• 4 cups Minute Rice

Cooking Directions

1. Cut chicken and coat the seasoning mix. (salt, pepper Montreal chicken seasoning) (You can dip the chicken in 1 beaten egg if you want.)
2. Brown the coated chicken in the melted Smart Balance and oil. Set that aside but save the drippings for soup mix.
3. In a separate pot combine the soup, seasonings, drippings, and water. Heat to a boil. Put 1/4 to 1/3 of the soup mix aside.
4. Put dry Minute Rice in the larger soup mix and stir, then put that mixture in a 9 x 11 cake pan or a casserole dish.
5. Top with chicken and pore the rest of soup mix on top.
6. Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.

Basic Pasta Sauce (from scratch)

The other night I was treated to a wonderful meal my girlfriend prepared, creating a pasta sauce from scratch using a family recipe. It was a delightful evening with good company and a bottle of Scaia bianco (white) wine from Andronico's back in California. She made so much pasta that we were able to have it for two more meals - and there's still a ton of sauce left. Make no mistake, this makes a lot of sauce! Feel free to enjoy as-is or flavor with any additional spices, herbs, etc. Enjoy.

Rice Milk Cornbread (Southern Style) with Flour

I love cornbread. I mean absolutely love it. I can't get enough and try as many different kinds and styles I can, but when I make it myself, I use rice milk and only a little bit of flour to fluff it up mixed with a southern style cornbread. More on that after the jump.

For your reference (and fun), here's what NOT to eat on New Year's Day based on traditions, myths, and superstitions:

Lobster is taboo because they move backwards and could therefore lead to setbacks. Chickens scratch backwards, so eating chicken could cause regret or dwelling on the past. Another superstition discourages against eating any winged fowl because good luck could fly away.

For Japanese New Year, real, fresh mochi is traditionally eaten. I have had it this way, and it is very different from the store-bought brands you'll come across. It's hard to find fresh mochi, but it's amazing and very special. But be careful (apparently) because according to Wikipedia: "Because of mochi's extremely sticky texture, there is usually a small number of choking deaths around New Year in Japan, particularly amongst the elderly. The death toll is reported in newspapers in the days after New Year."

Now on to the Rice Milk Cornbread (Southern Style) with Flour! My New Year Tradition. Enjoy!