Today's Praise: V8 Broccoli Soup



Today's Recipe: Broken Spaghetti Risotto

I'm a slacker, and I apologize. I was so excited to get back home a day early from working in the stinky office that I just couldn't stand it! I took a nice day to myself Friday, and it was quite nice. And if you haven't noticed for now I take a break from blogging on the weekends. I try to limit my staring at a screen as much as possible. And frankly, I am too busy drinking. I'm not sure getting a Crackberry was the right solution to an attempted reduction at screen use, eh? Now, I'm off to Boston tomorrow! Am I a road warrior or what!

So I am usually fairly careful when buying soups and things of that nature because they are sodium packed, but the V8 Broccoli Soup is pretty balanced as far as sodium levels and the tradeoff with how otherwise great it is for you...and its a whole serving of veggies for your day! I am a genious and melted in a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb cheese to a bowl of soup for a great 2 point lunch. Yum. Who doesn't love broccoli and cheese (other than you, Michelle :))

Today's recipe is one that I stole straight from Rachel Ray. My mom says I look and act like her. I can't decide if that's a compliment or just plain hell. Anyway, I made this dish sans her original arugula and nuts on top (cause that just seems weird to me), and it is delicious. Sans the obligatory dump of parmesan cheese, it can also be vegan!

Broken Spaghetti Risotto

1 package dried mushrooms (I got two small bags from the produce dept)
1 quart veggie stock (at high altitude it took more like 6 cups instead of 4...so make extra stock if you're Rocky Mountain High like me)
2 cups water
Olive Oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 mammoth garlic cloves minced (more if you're a garlic hound like me)
S&P
1/2 cup white vino
Tons of Parm Cheese
1 pound spaghetti broken into small (3"-4" pieces)
2 Tablespoons Butter

Put stock, water, and dried shroomies in a pot and heat on medium low heat. Once its hot, turn to low and keep warm.

Get a bigass skillet or big sauce pot and heat olive oil, enough to coat bottom over medium-medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and S&P to pan and saute until sweating (4-5 miutes). Add broken pasta and toast until its golden brown, turning frequently. This will take 7 or so minutes. You will probably make a huge mess, but its worth it. Stir in wine and let it cook out, like a minute.

Now comes the risotto part: ladle in stock 1-2 ladles at a time stirring almost constantly. Do this every minute or two or once the previous stock has evaporated and been sucked up by the pasta. This will take at least 10 minutes, so start testing the pasta then to see if its cooked. Up here it took more like 15 and a lot more stock to get the pasta cooked through. Its done when the pasta is cooked to your liking - al dente if you're a D'Ego. When you get to the last 1/2 cup or so of liquid, take out the now reconstitued shroomies. Chop those up and add to pasta. Don't use the last bit of stock, it will be gritty.

When you're satisfied with the doneness of the pasta, stir in the butter and as much parm as you can handle. The pasta will be nice and dark brown in color. Its SOOO good!

Here's a pic I stole from the Food Network website:



Coming soon: Pictures of the food when I ACTUALLY make it. Once I"m done traveling like a banshee that's on my list of things to do :)

Happy Monday Funday everyone. Next post will be from the Town of Beans!