This month we met at Diva A's where, in celebration of March Madness, our dinner was inspired by basketballs, or our favorite basketball team.
4 divas. 1 guest diva. and countless references to balls that any 15-year-old boy would've appreciated. one shining moment, indeed.
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/2827634.jpg)
Champaign Risotto
Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, heated
1 cup champagne
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1. In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in the olive oil and butter until tender, 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more.
3. Add the champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and cook until almost completely absorbed, stirring constantly. Continue adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorbe before adding the next, until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in parmesan, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
**or**chill to make risotto balls!
Baked Stuffed Risotto Balls
Ingredients:cold risotto (recipe above)soft cheese (i used mozzarella)bread crumbscorn mealsalt and pepper2 eggssmall amount of milkbaking spray
1. Shape the risotto into half rounds with a small depression in the centre. Place a small piece of cheese there (about the size of a quarter) and then add more risotto onto the top and shape into a ball. Continue to do this until all your risotto is used up.2. Roll the balls in a mixture of bread crumbs, corn meal and salt and pepper. Then dip in an egg wash (eggs and milk), then dip back into the bread crumbs. Now place them on a greased baking tray. Continue until all your risotto balls have been breaded.3. Spray all the risotto balls with the baking spray and bake in a 375°F oven for about 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, heated
1 cup champagne
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1. In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in the olive oil and butter until tender, 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more.
3. Add the champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and cook until almost completely absorbed, stirring constantly. Continue adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorbe before adding the next, until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in parmesan, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
**or**chill to make risotto balls!
Baked Stuffed Risotto Balls
Ingredients:cold risotto (recipe above)soft cheese (i used mozzarella)bread crumbscorn mealsalt and pepper2 eggssmall amount of milkbaking spray
1. Shape the risotto into half rounds with a small depression in the centre. Place a small piece of cheese there (about the size of a quarter) and then add more risotto onto the top and shape into a ball. Continue to do this until all your risotto is used up.2. Roll the balls in a mixture of bread crumbs, corn meal and salt and pepper. Then dip in an egg wash (eggs and milk), then dip back into the bread crumbs. Now place them on a greased baking tray. Continue until all your risotto balls have been breaded.3. Spray all the risotto balls with the baking spray and bake in a 375°F oven for about 30 minutes.
Brie Stuffed Meatballs in Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
- 1 lbs Ground Beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup red wine and 3 Tbs red wine
- 1 1/2 tsp Dry Rosemary
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper
- 12 1 inch cubes of brie & slices for assembly
- 1/2 cup butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
- 1-2 Tbs corn starch
- egg noodles, cooked
Combine beef, onion, egg, 3 Tbs of red wine, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Make a thin patty about the size of your palm, place a piece of brie in the center, cup your hand and roll into a ball. Arrange meatballs on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 – 15 mins, until brown. While meatballs are in the oven. Melt butter, saute onions & garlic, add mushrooms & fresh rosemary, cook for 3 minutes. Add beef broth & wine, bring to a boil, turn down & simmer for 10 mins. Stir in 1 to 2 tbs of Wondra Flour, depending on desired thickness. Transfer meatballs to sauce, toss to coat. Serve over cooked egg noodles.
Romaine and Mandarin Orange Salad
Ingredients
*courtesy of www.allrecipes.com*
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 10 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
- 1 (10 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained
- 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
- Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
- Place vinegar, sugar, red onion, mustard powder, and salt into the bowl of a blender. Cover, and puree on high until smooth. Reduce blender speed to medium-low; slowly pour in the vegetable oil and blend until incorporated and the dressing is creamy. Stir in the poppy seeds and set aside.
- To serve, toss the romaine in a large bowl with the crumbled bacon, Mandarin oranges, and enough dressing to moisten. Place onto salad plates and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
*courtesy of www.allrecipes.com*
Homemade Oreos
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg
For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Tips:
Keep the cookies small. It helps make the flavors more even. For this dinner I made giant cookies and they were too sweet. We went into an immediate sugar coma. When I've made this in the past I've used the small end of a melon baller to make the cookies exactly even and small.
For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg
For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
- In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass. *Note: The order in which you put the ingredients into the food processor is important. If the egg isn't added last and after the butter the dough will not form a perfect mass.
- Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
- To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy. *You can do this in the food processor too, if you like.
- To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.
Tips:
Keep the cookies small. It helps make the flavors more even. For this dinner I made giant cookies and they were too sweet. We went into an immediate sugar coma. When I've made this in the past I've used the small end of a melon baller to make the cookies exactly even and small.