Easy Baked Risotto

I love Cook's Illustrated. I really do! But sometimes their recipes are way to daunting and require too much work for what they are - case in point my poor attempt at the Grasshopper Pie for St Patty's day dessert. So yes, while I do love Cook's Illustrated for more entertaining events (family dinners, etc) I think a more fitting magazine for our family is Cook's Country. Made by the Cook's Illustrated folks but with recipes that aren't too hard - especially when you don't have much time on a weeknight.

Risotto has been on my cooking bucket list for about a year now. Aftert I first tasted it I knew I had to learn how to make it. So when I came across the easy baked risotto recipe on the Cook's Country website...I was determined to try it! This took a little bit of prep time - but after the prep you really do nothing while it cooks. Which is good for me when I'm trying to finish laundry or pick up the house while dinner is cooking. P doesn't really like rice all that well but he actually loved this! But really...what is there not to love? Butter, rice, parmesan cheese and more butter. How can that not be good??

We had this as a side dish with an easy and quick grilled chicken breast. I will also say that this recipe makes A LOT of risotto. Like an entire dutch oven full! I'm thinking of making this the main dish next time - add some frozen peas and maybe some chopped chicken or prosciutto. Yum :)

Easy Baked Risotto

Picture credit goes to Cook's Country online

• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 onion, minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice (I got this at Trader Joe's)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring broth, water and bay leaves to simmer in a pan over medium-high heat. Once simmering, cover with lid and put burner to low. While broth mixture is heating, melt butter in a dutch oven. Add minced onion and salt and cook until trnaslucent and lightly brown. Add rice to dutch oven and toast until edges become translucent (about 2 mins). Add garlic and cook until fragrant - about 30 seconds (don't let the garlic burn!). Stir in the wine and heat through until completely absorbed. Pour broth mixture into dutch oven. Cover with aluminum foil - press down on the foil so that it is touching the top of the mixture in the dutch oven. Put lid on. Bake about 20-22 mins or until the liquid is all absorbed. Take out of the oven and remove bay leaves. Mix in the parmesan cheese until it is melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

CHEERS!

Adapted From Cook's Country