The decorations were all vintage.

The vintage stuff was massed on tables. Great technique!

Isn’t this duck the cutest thing?

Isn't this the cutest duck?

The table with the food. Yum!

Balsamic Strawberries

The cake. It wasn't so difficult.

Well, picnik decided I can’t do any more photos tonight.

Suffice it to say that the shower was wonderful and could not be more pleased with the menu!

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

images:(c)maryeaudet 2009

Post from: Baking Delights

If you are planning on having Chef Gordon Ramsay over for dinner you could serve this risotto.  It is so good that even Chef Perfection would love it.

And if you aren’t having him over for dinner? You should make it anyway.  Your family deserves it.  You are that special.  And this is that good.

Addictively good.

Hang on just a minute while I run downstairs and get another spoonful…

Risotto is a creamy rice dish that has a reputation for being difficult to make well.  I think because of that a lot of people have been scared off and that is sad.  Risotto is not all that difficult.  It is fairly time consuming and you probably don’t want to make risotto and souffle at the same time, but really it is easily doable by anyone who can tell time, and stir a pot. What makes it so very good is that the rice absorbs all of the flavors slowly, and because of the technique it gets very creamy and rich.  It is normally made with a short grain rice like Arborio but I am just evil enough to make it with organic long grain brown rice just to see if I could.

I did.  I could.  You can, too.

An important thing to remember is that your finished product will only be as good as what goes in it.  You need to begin with great quality, flavorful foods.

I do think that organics are a better value.  Better flavor, better health.  Kosher salt is a personal choice, I think it tastes better.  I double this recipe for our family.

I took lots of pictures while I was cooking so that you could see how easy it is.

I served this risotto with Grilled Lemon Chicken, Olive bread, and broccoli/cauliflower/carrots.  It all worked well together and if I had been going to make a dessert it would probably have been something like a lemon pie to echo the lemon in the chicken and the creaminess of the risotto.

Artichoke Risotto with Romano Cheese

• 6 cups organic chicken broth, approximately
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cups diced artichokes (Fresh is best but I used canned this time)
• 1 1/2 cups rice arborio or a short grain is traditional, but use what you have
• 1/2 cup finely grated Romano cheese

In a saucepan bring broth to just simmering.  Cover and set on the back of the stove.  It will need to stay warm.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in heavy wok or similar pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and  sauté until soft and golden.  This will take about 5 minutes.

Add artichokes to pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until artichokes begin to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes.

Add rice; stir 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and  stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups more  broth’  Cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often.  It will take from five to ten minutes for the liquid to be absorbed at each step.  Add more broth, 1/2 cupful at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next.

Stir every few minutes and be sure to scape down the sides and move the bottom to the top.

Continue until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy.  This will take about 20 to 30 minutes more.   You may need to add a little boiling water  or more broth to finish if all the liquid absorbs before the rice is cooked.

Meanwhile grate the Romano Cheese.

Remove from heat; stir in cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Better late than never…Today I have chosen alot of blogs that have images that I enjoy.  If you are going to blog food you need to take your own pictures as much as you can, I think, and they need to be good!  Following are some of the best images I have seen this week..

I saw this as I was checking out blogs the other day…Julie from One Wall Kitchen is a cheffing student and she has the most incredible sugar creations on her blog! It is a MUST see. The multicolored bowls seriously look like vintage California Pottery items! Kudos Julie!

Some pretty talented people grace my blog with their presence. Stop over and congratulate Carrie, at Carrie’s Kitchen Creations for opening her new photography shop on Etsy! She does beautiful images.

Talking about amazing images…Stacy at Vicarious Foodie has a scallion and cheddar panini that is ..yum.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cynthias Inspired Baking post on Tastes Like Home. I love beautiful images, and here are more of the best I have seen.

I just want to tell you guys that not only do you all cook like you are cheffing for God Himself but the images show how multitalented so many of you are!

Check out Kevin’s Green Tea White Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies…with Chocolate Ganache..We will just call them GTWCMBCG for short, ‘k? Closet Cooking is a great blog for improving your food photography skills because Kevin plates and shoots the images with an eye for pleasing detail and good texture and color contrast.  I used to be an artist in a previous life…(before kids) and I am telling you…if you want to improve your images then look at some of these blogs and see what they do, how they plate, how they arrange the shot.

For A Taste of Yellow Round-up Lina at My Life is Yummy, does a Condensed Milk Pound Cake with Pineapple Sauce. MMMMmmm.

We call Shiloh Snickerdoodle, it has been her  nickname since her birth. Kyrie is Bug, Shiloh is Snickerdoodle, Erin is still Bo.  Anyway Steph at A Whisk and a Spoon has the best looking Snickerdoodles that I have seen. YUMMY perfection.

You know there are alot of cool roundups…and I need to get organized enough to get involved in them. I feel like the kid that has to sit in the school room doing math while the other kids are on the playground. Pixie is one of the sweetest bloggers I know…and I love reading her posts on You Say Tomato… I Say Tomato.  They are always fun to read, and you get a real feeling for who she is…At least I think so…anyway, like Lina she did a post for A Taste of Yellow and this one is a fantastic Lemon Cake with Strawberries.

If you haven’t figured out what you are having for breakfast check out Valli’s Tropical Mango Pancakes with Brown Sugar Syrup.  Valli always has something good cooking up there in the frozen northland..

I have been chatting with Cathy at Noble Pig for a bit over on Kettle and Cup…but check out these kickin’ ribs that she has posted.  The rub sounds amazing..the only thing she left out was the chipotle…

For an excellent tutorial on making frosting clowns to decorate cakes check out this post by Min at Baking Project.  One of the best cake decorating how to’s I have seen.

Hope you have had as much surfer fun as I have..Have a great weekend.

(c)Marye Audet for Baking Delights 

Images (c) Marye Audet, Apron Strings and Simmering Things 

Post from: Baking Delights