Necessary Chocolate

The annual doll clothes

It must be the first quarter of the year. The one time when I make the doll clothes that I dreamed of making for Christmas, or outfits to match doll clothes given for Christmas. This year: sock monkey pajamas to match the Christmas pajamas, with some little sock monkeys thrown in for fun.

I embellished the t-shirts (just felt appliques with some embroidery accents) while hanging out with friends in NYC, watching Inspector Lewis AND Masterpiece Theatre. Heavenly day.

The pajama pants are from the AG pattern for Molly's pajamas. The t-shirts, made from some sale shirts from Old Navy, were modified from this free pattern. I just lengthened the sleeves and straightened out the side seams.

Risotto on the mind

It took me a while to make the risotto. But it was on my mind. As proof, my church doodles from a few Sundays ago.

See? Right under "Why am I such a Pharisee" written over and over? (I don't actually remember what brought that on.)

ANYWAY, I had a much better day last Sunday in NYC, and then came back to COLD. Very very cold. Below zero cold. A perfect night for hot, creamy rice.

It turned out just as creamy as my cousin's batch. It was, in fact, creamier than any risotto I've made on the stove. So I may just have to stick with this Dutch oven method.

I did change the recipe some. I caramelized an onion the week before, and threw it in with the rice and chicken broth. Most of my risotto recipes start with a sauteed onion for flavor. Instead of white wine, I used 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice. After stirring in the remaining chicken broth and the cheese, I added turkey keilbasa and ground coriander. Next time I'll taste before adding the full 2 teaspoons of salt.

As my aunt noted, this recipe makes a lot. Leftover risotto can be pretty gummy and sticky. But that's the perfect texture for risotto cakes. Just form patties out of the leftover rice, dip them in egg, then in bread crumbs (preferably) or flour, and sautee them.

Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. My idea of breakfast.

I've had a few comments from my fellow cooks. I'll post those later this week!

Want to cook with us?

 

My family (and any friends who want to join us) have decided to cook our way through the Barefoot Contessa's new cookbook this year. We're going to choose a recipe every two weeks, or so, and compare notes. Come play!

I get to choose the first recipe - and I choose risotto.

Reason #1: I love eating risotto. I love making it. I'm one of those weird people who like standing and stirring for thirty straight minutes, watching the rice grow creamier, while I watch a movie or read a book. (Yeah, I know - obviously I don't have kids.) It's easy to make in the microwave, too. Nevertheless, I've wanted to try the dutch oven method in this cookbook.

Reason #2: I want to use my pretty Dutch oven.

  

Reason #3: Snow days! Time for warm comfort food!

You can play with risotto. I'll make mine with lemon juice instead of wine, and add lemon peel and chopped tomatoes, or caramelized onions, or roasted vegetables, or keilbasa. Something comforting!

We have until January 31st.  Let me know if you try the recipe, and how it turns out.

2010 (2011?) cookie dough

Downloadable paper and labels by Paola Zakimi from the creature comforts blog. I added touches of yellow to the design, due to my forgetting to buy white crepe paper (my only local supplier was closed on Saturday), and only having cream and yellow crepe paper on hand.  But it's to my credit, I suppose, that I did have cream and yellow crepe paper on hand!

The last flurry of manic activity (or, how to avoid thinking dealing with deadlines)

Dec 31st  - the official day off.

Finished a felt ornament from the snowy day pattern. I reduced the pattern 75% to make it littler - mine's only 5" or so.

Started the embroidery for the cover project from this book (one of the Christmas book stocking gifts).

Tried a new fudge recipe. Yum.

Saw The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.*

Watched "About A Boy" for the umpteenth time while finishing up the cookie dough.

Went to bed at 3 AM.

January 1st: Didn't accomplish quite so much...

 

*in case you're looking for an opinion - decent movie. But I have the book memorized, and would have adapted it a little differently. Some of the changes made it stronger - many made for a weaker message.