I Wonder....

I wonder what it will be like when I finally graduate? When I'm back out here in the "real world" with not having to wake up in the morning and drag myself out of bed....not having to put my school chef's jacket on and walk two blocks to class in the wee hours of the morning in the heat/rain/snow?

I wonder where I will live? Will I finally have a place to call my own? A "home" where I can rest my head knowing that this is MY place, where my children can come and visit...Where I can drink a glass of wine without having to worry if I'm going to lose my job if I get caught drinking in my room? Where I can decorate and have dinner parties with food of my own design and no one else? Where my bedroom will be my sanctuary and the bed will be high off the ground and big enough for hundreds of pillows? (Well...maybe not "hundreds" but a LOT! LOL) Where there will be color on the walls, and a big kitchen with a gas stove, and nice plates and unique wine glasses....and WINDOWS!!! EVERYWHERE!!!

I wonder if there will ever come a time where I will have a fully stocked frig/ freezer and pantry-so that I can cook and create whatever dishes my heart desires? I wonder will I ever learn more about wine?

I wonder will I have a beautiful yard with flowers and a garden and a patio where I can sit and have coffee and enjoy the sun's warmth on my face? I wonder will I have a long, wooden plank table with fresh flowers and white linen tablecloth's in the grass to have dinner outside with friends and fam?

I wonder where will I work? "Will" I work? Of course I will have to work, but will it be a place where I can continue to learn and hone my culinary skills and talents? I wonder will I love it?  Will it be a place where it will be "okay" to just be "me?" Will I make enough money to live comfortably, alone and on my own...finally...for the first time in my life? No husband/boyfriend, no parents, no children, no roommates...just me? I wonder what path I will go? Will I stay in PA, or will I go to Vegas?  Texas? Cali? Where?

I wonder if I will end up working on a cruise-ship or in a Fine Dining establishment? Someone told me that I don't have what it takes to work in Fine Dining...he has no idea what I'm capable of. I wonder if I will want to have a food truck? And if so, what will I serve? Would people like my food enough to keep me in business?

I wonder what people "really" think of me? I wonder if my friends are growing tired of me? I wonder why some of them speak to me differently now, as if they are agitated with me for some unknown reason?  I wonder what I did to make them feel that way...

I wonder if I will ever fall in love again? I wonder if the perfect man for me is out there looking for me? I wonder if what ails me will be fixed? I wonder if I did the right thing by coming here and pursuing this life-long dream? I wonder when I will be able to just be free to be me and have fun again without always feeling like I need to be doing something more productive? I wonder if I will ever have the opportunity to travel overseas? <I wonder if I will be able to afford a passport? lol>

I always tell the ones I love "Be Great and Live Life!"

I wonder if I will be able to do the same...

I wonder if anyone even reads this....

I wonder...

"Garden" Risotto....

Every time I feel as if I may not be doing the "right thing" with my life, I watch the movie "Julie/Julia" and my spirit is renewed. I don't know if anyone cares about what I'm doing, or if anyone even reads this blog on a regular basis (if at all). All I know is that I absolutely love my life and one day, all the hard work, the nights of 5 hour sleep, being confined within a six block radius and an extremely limited budget (READ: nonexistent budget) will all be worth it. The people that think I'm crazy for leaving a life of stability-yet unfulfilled, to those that don't like me for trying to make a better life for myself and my children-all because I'm trying to find my place in this world...I hope to prove all of them wrong.


With that said, after a day of getting some homework done for the final week of classes-and watching this movie, I'm hungry-and of course I want to cook something rich and comforting because I have now been inspired to do so! LOL 


I have random things in my frig (because I essentially live the life of a bachelor and have not much else than milk, eggs, butter and condiments that I can get at the CVS a block away...lol) and discovered that I had all the necessary components to make risotto!  So then my creative juices started to flow (That's what she said) and added some veggies. As I started to chop and cook I thought "I should take pics and write about this in the blog!" <seeing as though it's been a few weeks since my last posting>


So here it is, my impromptu "Garden" Risotto- made on a whim with just the things I had in my frig, on a muggy June Saturday afternoon...enjoy!




So for starters, you can use any standard risotto recipe and add ingredients to your liking. The key thing to remember is you must continue to add hot stock in intervals and let rice absorb the stock and release the starch-that's what makes it nice and creamy!!

First, I had some bacon in the frig, chopped it up and added it to my pan. You can use Panchetta if you so desire.

add some chopped garlic...

...and some chopped onions...

 I had a bit of red pepper too..

Sweat it all together til onion is translucent and tender

Then add the aborio rice...

Then stir and toast rice for about 2 minutes...

Deglaze with white wine...

and reduce wine til "au sec" <almost dry>

now start to add stock, one ladle at a time...

stir...

let simmer and reduce before adding more stock. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times before...

adding butter...mmmm butter makes everything better baby!!

The starches start to release and mix with the butter-the rice begins to plump up...

See? Looking good!!

When the rice is just about finished, add the peas and cheese...I added some mushrooms too, but you can put whatever you like at this point...

add a bit more butter and stock to simmer and let finish cooking. Rice should have some "bite" and not be mushy...correct seasoning (salt/pepper and fresh herbs if you like)...

and Viola!! "Garden" Risotto!! Top with shredded cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and serve with your favorite wine and some crusty bread...Magnifico!!

This dish is a bit "rustic," but still delicious! Serve as a side or as a main dish..either way you cannot go wrong with this!! I hope you've enjoyed this offering, I know I did! YUM!!

Now time for cake and ice cream, then sweet dreams of hopefully finding my "Paul Child" one day! As Julia would say...."Bon Appetit!!!"