We’ve already talked about cleaning out our cabinets of “ingredient clutter”. Now you have room to stock up on “Smart Ingredients”, those ingredients that can be mixed and matched to add up to dinner success. I plan to show you how using fewer, Smart Ingredients can lead to more mealtime success. The key is knowing what ingredients to buy. These may not be the same for everybody, you have to learn your family’s tastes to perfect your personal “Smart” ingredients list. But over the next few weeks, I’ll give you my favorites and you can see if they do, in fact, bring you success in your own kitchen.
Chicken broth is an ingredient at the very top of my Smart Ingredients list. Just having it on hand brings dinner one step closer to the table. It’s inexpensive, it’s versatile, and it’s the base of many sure-fire dishes for my family. If I have rice, I know I can use the broth, any veggies I have on hand and some shrimp out of the freezer to make an easy weeknight risotto. If I have some leftover rotisserie chicken, the broth will help me make a delicious pot pie. If I have ground beef, my family’s favorite, salisbury steak.
Following is the recipe for Risotto, a delicious, flexible, easy to make family meal.
Easy Weeknight Risotto Recipe
*Note: Arborio rice is the “recommended” rice for making risotto as it best provides the chewy texture risotto is known for. If you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal with ingredients you have at home, any rice will do. If you’re using quick-cook rice, the cooking time will be a bit less. Brown rice will take about twice as long.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups uncooked rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the rice, and stir until the rice is coated in oil and has started to brown. Add the broth one cup at a time, pausing between cups, and stirring constantly. Reduce heat and continue stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Add additional ingredients as desired*. Add the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Stir to blend, and serve.
*Additional ingredients to risotto can include cooked chicken or shrimp, and almost any kind of vegetable already cooked or steamed. Some of the most popular variations include mushrooms sauteed in butter, and sauteed spinach, tomatoes or asparagus.
