hearty fall

Happy Saturday all! Things have been so busy as I have been traveling for the past few weeks and Vance is currently on a trauma surgery rotation. I was in Minnesota (the coldest place on earth) for a few days and was happy to return to (semi) warm Nashville. Well, it's always warm if I'm with Vance (smile). Last night was Vance's and my first date night in weeks, and we enjoyed a fall dinner of mushroom and rosemary risotto with balsamic steamed spinach. 

This dish is so good and definitely makes enough for leftovers.

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons EVOO
2 cups roughly chopped mushrooms, mixed (baby Bellas and white button)
5-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, heated in a sauce pan
3/4 cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or other semi-dry)
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 cups Aborio rice
1/3 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, finely grated
S&P to taste
In a Dutch Oven, add about half the butter and half the EVOO, saute mushrooms until soft and set aside. Add remaining butter and oil and saute garlic and onion until translucent. Add rice and stir until well-coated, add wine and stir well. Once the chicken broth is simmering, add 1/2 cup of broth at a time and stir. Wait until each ladle full of broth is fully absorbed before adding the next. Stir continuously to avoid rice from sticking. After adding broth and stirring for about 25 to 30 minutes, ensure risotto is tender and slightly chewy. Add final 1/2 cup of broth, cheese, rosemary, mushrooms and S&P. Serve immediately. 

The spinach is pleasantly simple. In a large saute pan with lid, add about 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Place a full bag (2-3 big handfuls) of spinach in the pan and give a stir. Place the lid over the pan and steam for a few minutes. Add a drizzle (about 1-2 tablespoons) of good balsamic vinegar to the spinach, stir until hot and serve. We enjoyed this hearty risotto and spinach dish with a good crusty roll and some Honey Brown. 
Tonight, I am making a salmon pesto pasta and tomorrow is Jamaican pumpkin soup. I love being home and having time to cook! Enjoy the weekend all.