Italian night….. that’s amore !

Some days I really think I should be Italian.  Not only have I fallen in love and have always had a passion for Italian food, but I love the language, the culture and the country.  I’ve been lucky enough to travel around Italy a couple of times now and loved every minute of it.  Here are a few of my favourite pics from my travels.

Venice

Venice

Pisa

Horseback riding through Tuscany

Basking in the Tuscan Sunset at a Chateau.Florence

Florence

Hope you enjoyed the shots… I hope to return to Tuscany one day again.

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Risotto alla Funghi

This risotto can be made dairy-free by substituting the parmesan with a dairy-free hard cheese or omitting the cheese completely.

The Ingredients

• 1 cup Arborio Rice
• 1 onion – chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic – minced
• 450g mushrooms (of your choice)
• 1 butternut squash
• 1 red pepper
• 4 cups of low-sodium free-range chicken broth
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine
• pinch of Saffron
• 1 cup fresh Parmisiano Reggiano (or more )
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Put a bit of warm water and saffron threads in a small bowl and allow to steep until ready to add to risotto.  I love how it turns the water yellow..so pretty.

Chop up all your vegetables.

In a large pot heat about 1 Tbsp of olive oil and add chopped onions and garlic.  Allow to get translucent and then add the rice.  Continue to cook until rice becomes translucent as well. 

Add the white wine and the saffron liquid and cook until most the liquid reduces. 

Now add the vegetables to the pot as well as about 1 cup of hot chicken broth.  It’s important that the broth is hot so that when you add the broth, it doesn’t cool down your concoction.  Keep stirring until the liquid simmers down significantly. 

Continue to add one ladle of broth at a time and keep stirring so that your rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pot.  Continue until all broth is used. Also add your chopped spinach.  And now it’s time for the magic ingredient (hehe).

PARMESAN CHEESE….AND LOTS OF IT.

Enjoy with a nice glass of wine and some garlic toast. 

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After dinner and some cuddle time on the couch…. off to my first hockey game of 2011 I go…..

 

SHE SHOOTS…..

SHE SCORES !!!! 

A GREAT WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR ON THE ICE.

 

And off to dreamland I go.

Bea

xoxo

 

 

Risotto With Mushrooms