Menu Monday - Rosemary Ranch Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

I am including two recipes today since the first one is basically just a marinade recipe.  You can use it on anything, but we use it on chicken and make shish kabobs because that's how the creator at allrecipes.com suggested, and it sounded good to us.  The second recipe is for Mushroom Risotto.  Ashton LOVES risotto, and watching Hell's Kitchen.  We laugh a lot about risotto because people always screw it up on that show.  Well, if you want good risotto when you go out in Savannah you usually have to go to an upscale type of restaurant and that isn't really in the budget all the time.  Ashton and I got together to cook a meal and have a girls night and she found this recipe and bought all the stuff so we could make it.  It is a recipe you have babysit, but the taste is OUT OF THIS WORLD! 

Rosemary Ranch Marinade - from here
no directions with this one other than mix it up and marinade whatever you want in it! 

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup ranch dressing

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste

Mushroom Risotto - from here
serves approximately 6

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I usually use more!)

Directions

1. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed.
3. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sorry, there is no picture to accompany this (as usual!) because I have been sick with strep throat all weekend, and didn't cook or do much of anything this weekend.  I am feeling much better now though, so there will be a fun post up tomorrow!