Double-Duty: Easy Peasy Risotto and Baked Arancini

Last month's Parents magazine offered a series of recipes that allowed for two meals made out of one primary ingredient. We tried a few, but our favorite by far was the set of rice dishes. My children love rice and anything creamy, so we knew it would be a hit.

The planning is simple: the risotto is meal one and the reserved cooked arborio rice serves as the foundation of meal two. You simply reserve three cups of the risotto in the stage marked with an asterisk below. Enjoy!


Easy-Peasy Risotto

You need:
8 c. unsalted chicken stock
6 strips bacon, fried and chopped OR precooked sausage of your choice, sliced in medallions
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 c. arborio rice
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Heat the stock in the saucepan until barely simmering. Keep warm. Cook the onion with a little olive oil OR the reserved drippings from the bacon (about 2 tbsp. worth), about five minutes. Add the rice and cook for one to two minutes or until the rice begins to turn translucent. Add seven cups of the stick and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, about 15 minutes. Add the peas. If the rice looks dry, add more stock. Cook one to two minutes more or unit the risotto looks moist and creamy*. Add the bacon or sausage, parmesan cheese, butter, and lemon juice. Serve with additional Parmesan.


Baked Arancini

You need:

nonstick cooking spray
3 eggs
3 cups reserved risotto
1/4 tsp. salt
3 oz. mozzarella, cut into 12 cubes
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 c. panko bread crumbs
jarred marinara sauce, warmed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, lightly beat one egg. Add the risotto and salt. Stir to combine. Using moist hands, form into 12 even disks. Place a cube of mozzarella in the center of one disc and encase it in risotto. Roll  into a ball, sealing the cheese inside. Repeat with remaining discs and cheese. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, lightly beat the remaining two eggs. Put the panko in a third shallow bowl. Roll each ball in flour, egg, and panko. Transfer to a baking sheet, lightly coat with cooking spray, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with marinara for dipping.