Recipe Just for Kicks: Mushroom Risotto

I was reading The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith. In it, the inimitable Isabel Dalhousie was making a Risotto for her niece Cat, or for Cat's ex-boyfriend Jamie, i don't remember. My mind wandered from the story to the Risotto.

So a brief Google later, I found this delicious recipe that I have since shamelessly stolen and pinned on Pinterest. It is now printed and safe in a page protector in my "Mitchell/Carroll/Thurman Family Cookbook of Shamelessly Stolen Recipes." It does require that you stand at the stove and stir, but really it's only 20 minutes and you'll be glad you did.

I offer it here for you. It has nothing whatsoever to do with cars. But hey, ya gotta eat.

Mushroom Risotto
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gourmet-mushroom-risotto/detail.aspx

NGREDIENTS:

6 cups chicken broth, divided 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 shallots, diced 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine sea salt to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives 4 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
2.	Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
3.	Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4.	Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 3/28/2013

Gee Whiz-Floating on Air

Check out this Ford commercial from 1950.

I especially noted the colorful instrument panel in black and white! 100 horsepower V8! Gosh!

It is awfully pretty though....

Spring Break-We'll Get Even: 10 Area Day-Cations

Here we are at the end of March. We have passed Daylight Savings Time. We have passed the Vernal Equinox. We still have temperatures in the teens and twenties, and mountains of rotting, gray snow everywhere. I'm quite sure all Wisconsinites will join me in saying, "Go home Winter; You're Drunk!"

This week, my kids are out of school for what is laughingly referred to as Spring Break. Son and Daughter-in-Law and their kids are temporarily displaced because their apartment flooded. My 20-year-old's lease is up on his apartment and his new place isn't ready yet.

This means nine humans and three dogs--three generations--of Cabin Fever under one roof. Thank goodness for my job! 50 hours of escape from the chaos...and a paycheck.

Not to worry; we will get even. At the first sign of green you will hear cries of "Road Trip!" coming from the Mitchell/Carroll household.

For my sanity and for yours I have a link to Ten Great Day Trips Around Milwaukee. Thanks to www.midwestweekends.com.

Give me a tank of gas and a State Park Sticker and we are outta here! ...At least for the day!

Closed Doors and Open Windows

Good Morning Gentle Reader,

After an absolutely delightful 979 days at Lakeland Automotive in Sheboygan, it was time for a change. I learned a lot about myself and everything I know about the car business in those 979 days. I worked with some wonderful people whom I will miss. I'm grateful for the experience I gained.

Alas, all good things come to an end.

Lakeland Automotive is a great place to work and really, if your looking for a Toyota, Honda, Subaru or Scion, I would recommend going there.

Where God closes a door, He always opens a window. Luckily, both door and window were open for me at the same time. It's really, really nice to have choices...just sayin'.

As of this morning I'm putting my Internet Diva skills to work for Schmit Bros. in Saukville. I'm grateful to my new boss for this new opportunity! Everybody has been welcoming and just really lovely to me! I have audiobooks from Mead Public Library for the commute.

For those of you not familiar with this charming dealership, it has been part of the community for 100 years! It is one of the oldest Ford dealerships in the country. It is also one of the oldest dealerships still run by the same family. There is much to be said for stability and longevity!

So if you find yourself in need of a vehicle from the Ford or Chrysler groups, I'm still Your Car Gal.

I'm eager to see what the next 979 days will bring!