ox tail with tomato spinach risotto

saute onions in oil and butter

add the rice until coated with oils. add 1/2 cup white wine and/or apple juice until absorbed in the rice, stirring constantly. continue to this with all the liquid.  reserving one cup of broth and place in the blender.

add tomatoes and spinach to the broth in the blend and blend. add to the rice at the end stirring constantly until completely absorbed.

add cheese, salt, parsley to the rice mixture and serve.

ox tail with tomato spinach risotto

ox tail (my friend buchi's recipe)
4-6 lbs ox tail
1 whole onion
3 dashes of worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

1. preheat oven to 375*
2. place all ingredients in a dutch oven cover and place in the middle rack of the oven.
3. cook for 3 hours

spinach risotto
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (or apple juice)
1 quart of chicken stock
1 cup tomatoes
1 cup spinach
1 med onion
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon parsley
salt to taste

1. heat chicken stock in a small sauce pan and keep warm to the side.
2. in a saute pan saute onion in oil and butter
3. add the rice to the saute pan and coat the rice will with the oils coating every piece of rice.
4. add 1/2 cup of white wine or apple juice. stir contstantly until liquid is absorbed.
5. reserve 1/2 cup of broth and add to a blender with one cup of tomatoes and one cup of spinach. blend all ingredients.
6. add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to the rice until liquid is absorbed. continue adding broth until all the liquid is gone.
7. add the spinach/tomato mixture to the rice until completely absorbed.
8. add cheese, salt, and parsley.
9. serve right away

i taught summit to roll over a couple of weeks ago.  it is our favorite trick he does. he loves treats so much we could teach this dog to do cartwheels.  that will be the next trick. =]

kinfolk magazine is my favorite. when it shows up in my mailbox i could even do cartwheels. i love their kinfolk table as well. i read reviews and people dislike that the book feels more like a photography book than a cookbook. that is what i love about it. great photography and great recipes.

chalk talk this month is all about gratitude. i started and soon after everyone in the house started adding their thoughts. can't wait for the full thirty days.

perfect potato salad

My husband loves my potato salad...finally.  After years of trying to use my moms recipe...she has never written it down or measured ingredients.  I finally decided to try my hand at my own recipe.  My husband will send me sweet texts about my potato salad.  It makes me smile and beam with pride.

I bake the potatoes instead of boiling them because I don't like how the potatoes are soggy after boiling.

I always mix the wet ingredients and seasonings together and then add the potatoes, celery, and red onion in.  After I mix all the ingredients together I sprinkle the top with sweet paprika and mix it in.

Leaca's Potato Salad

4-5 large baked potatoes - diced
5 stalks of celery - diced
1 large red onion - diced

Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup vinegar
2 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup pickle relish
2 tbsp garlic-crushed
1 full tbsp of dill
2 tbsp horseradish
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the dressing ingredients together then add the potatoes, celery, and onions.  Refrigerate overnight.

tomato beet salad

I have been buying refrigerator beets.  They are prepared and ready to use and they freeze well. I have been trying new recipes with beets and tried to find a tomato beet recipe but could not find anything.  So, I came up with this recipe and I love it.

One of my favorite spice blends is Tuscan Sunset from Penzeys spices.

I add onions, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, and Tuscan Sunset season blend.

Four small beets and a cup of grape tomatoes or a blend of small tomatoes.

Tomato Beet Salad
4 small beets
1 cup of small tomatoes
1 small red onion
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp basil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Tuscan Sunset season blend
salt and pepper to taste

Mix garlic, basil, vinegar, oil, seasoning, salt and pepper.  Add beets, tomatoes, and onion and then refrigerate.