Yellow Squash Risotto

While a medium grain Italian rice is usually recommended for risotto, I use whichever rice I have on hand.

3 tbsp olive oil
One medium to large yellow squash, sliced in to coins or bite sized pieces
One medium yellow onion, diced
Four medium carrots, peeled and sliced in to coins
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup rice (see first note) -- I used long grain white rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp cream cheese

In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth, carrot, and half of the onion. Allow to simmer until carrots are cooked through. Salt to taste.

Set broth and vegetables aside in a separate bowl. In the saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Add remaining onion and saute until tender. Add rice, stirring constantly, until golden, about two-three minutes. If the onions start to brown, reduce heat. Pour the wine over the rice and stir, with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon, until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Ladle the broth in to the saucepan, about half a cup at a time, stirring while the liquid is absorbed. You can either discard the vegetables in the broth, or spoon them back in to the rice as I did.

While the risotto is going, heat the remaining oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Toss the squash with black pepper and garlic, and lay out on the pan. Flip the squash every so often, until cooked to your liking.

It should take about 20 minutes for the rice to fully absorb all of the broth. Towards the end taste the rice, you want it al dente, not mushy. It's okay if a little broth is left over. Remove the risotto from heat and add the cream cheese. Fold it in until fully blended.

Spoon the risotto in to a bowl, and top with squash.

BBQ Rib Spice Paste and Sweet and Spicy Barbeque Grill Sauce

After what has been just the WORST Spring, the skies hasve cleared enough for my very favorite tradition: Barbeque.

It is pretty common knowledge that my father makes the best ribs in the world. The only information I have on his recipe is this: he marinates them, starts them in the oven, moves them to the grill, and bastes them with something. I am not party to any ingredient besides pork, but I know they are spicy and gooey and charred. Someday, on his death bed, he might tell me his recipe. Until then, just as I did with chili and marinara sauce*, I will have to forge ahead on my own.

Marinade

I prefer a paste marinade to a liquid. Mix any dry spices with 2 tbsp neutral oil (any kind of bland oil without much flavor). I used coriander, chili powder, cinnamon, oregano, salt, and pepper mixed with cheap olive oil, and brushed on both sides of the rack of ribs.

Marinate as long as possible, then cover tightly with foil on a deep rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven. Heat the oven to 275F. The ribs will be fine in there for 2-2.5 hours.

Sauce
This was modified from a Martha Stewart recipe

1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8oz tomato sauce
8oz stewed tomatoes
1.5 tsp chili powder
.5 tsp nutmeg
Coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
1/2 cup white vinegar
2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp oregano
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (plus more to taste)
1 cup water

In 1-2 tbsp oil, saute onions and garlic. I like to let them brown, but if you don't like the taste, just cook them until tender, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, chili powder, nutmeg, and .5 tbsp salt plus a little pepper (you can go back and add more salt and pepper after it's simmered a while) and heat to a simmer. While stirring, slowly add vinegar and WS sauce. At this point I tasted the sauce, and thought it needed a little... something, so I added a bit of oregano, my go-to spice. With everything blended and simmering, slowly add the sugar, stirring it in. Cover sauce and let it simmer about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
You'll need to puree the sauce at some point, and because I am still short an immersion blender, I scooped out the solid ingredients during this in-between phase, mixed them with about a cup of cool water, and pulsed them in the blender. If you have an immersion blender, you can add the water and puree everything now.
After an hour, remove the sauce from the heat and let cool. I popped mine in the fridge to let it set a little.

RIBS
Once the ribs are done in the oven, you can move them to your grill (or broiler) and finish as you like. Give them a generous coating of the BBQ sauce and let them sizzle! Happy Summer!!!

*You can't have my marinara sauce recipe.

Tilapia and Chorizo Paella

My girlfriend had a pretty terrible week, and I really wanted to make her a nice dinner. I know she loves her mother's paella, but I am terrified of her mother, so I couldn't call for the recipe. Also, I had to make this on the grand budget of: what I currently have in the house. 

She LOVED it. She had seconds.

3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped chorizo
2 tilapia fillets, cut in to bite sized bits
8oz diced tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 chopped medium yellow onion
2 tsp sofrito
2 piquante peppers, diced
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cup long grain rice

This is a one skillet meal, and it's best to have all your ingredients ready to go from the start.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo and fish, cook three to five minutes until heated through and fish is almost cooked. Remove from pan, set aside.

Add remaining tbsp oil, tomatoes, onion, garlic, sofrito, and peppers. Saute until onions are cooked through.

Slowly pour in wine and water, and heat to boiling. Stir in rice, until all ingredients are well mixed. (protip: some recipes call for saffron or some other coloring to make your rice yellow. I throw in a packet of Sazon Goya. PS, I will be a spokesgirl for Goya any time. Call me!) Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in meat and fish, and cover for another three to five minutes, until rice is cooked through.

This makes two real big servings.