Savory Saturday

As many of you know, I have been a Stay-at-Home Mommy since Nate was born.  I left teaching 7th and 8th graders behind, in order to stay with my sweet boys.  I quickly discovered that there was one BIG problem with this new job.  I was going to have to take over the grocery shopping and COOK.  Yuck!  It took me at least a year to start getting into the grove of cooking...OK, maybe longer.  But, these days I do a much better job of cooking and having food in the house. ;)  I even recently subscribed to Southern Living and have actually made a recipe or two from the magazine.  Below is the first recipe that I tried.  I was pretty sure Randy would hate it...after all, it has fresh tomatoes in it.  Much to my surprise, he actually liked it!  I'm glad because it's easy and fast.

Southern Living- March 2010
Oven Chicken Risotto
2 Tbsp. butter
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice (must be this kind)
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chopped deli-roasted chicken (easy!!)
1 (8 oz.) package fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place butter in a 13-x 9-inch baking dish; bake 5 minutes or until melted.  Stir in broth and next 3 ingredients.
2. Bake, covered, at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Fluff rice with a fork.  Stir in chicken, mozzarella, and tomatoes; sprinkle with shredded basil.
Serve immediately.

Serve this with fresh green beans roasted in the oven with garlic, a fresh salad and maybe even a piece of yummy bread.

I had no clue that risotto could be made in the oven.  It is much easier than the "regular" way. 
Instead of adding the chicken, tomatoes and mozzarella, you could go simple and just add parmesan cheese, or peas, maybe broccoli (not in this house), or even some garlic and pine nuts.

I would love to post some awesome pictures showing the step by step process and then the final product, but my photography really needs some work.  Not to mention, it's hard to focus on cooking AND taking pictures AND emailing back and forth with Shelli AND having a little Nate throwing bouncy balls all over the kitchen AND having a 7 year old tell you (in detail) all about how he just beat Blooper in Mario Power Tennis! ;) But this is what I have for now...one day I will look back and laugh...I hope!