Butter and Love: Corn, Tomato & Parmesan Risotto

So I was feeling creative the other night and since I had bought Arborio at the grocery store, I was really craving risotto. I looked in my pantry and just decided to throw some random stuff together, and the results were actually pretty darn good! My husband loved it. I served it with good old chicken piccata, a delicious and healthy standby. I always use Giada's recipe with a few alterations: I leave out the capers and parsley because I just don't care for them, and I usually add a splash of dry white wine which gives it a nice kick. Here is the recipe for my creation:

Corn, Tomato & Parmesan Risotto
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon kosher salt (or more, to taste)
5 ½ cups heated chicken stock
1 ¾ cups (1 15.25 oz can) fresh corn
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
½ cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in saucepan under medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for a minute or two. Add rice and stir to thoroughly coat with oil and garlic. Deglaze with white wine and continue to cook until wine is almost totally absorbed. Add salt. Begin to slowly add heated chicken stock with a ladle, allowing the stock to almost fully absorb before adding the next ladle-full, and stirring constantly. When the rice has cooked for about 15 minutes and most of the stock has been incorporated, add the corn and tomato sauce along with any remaining liquid. Continue to stir and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy. Add butter, cheese, and pepper to taste and stir to incorporate. Serve.

saute-ing my garlic

heating up my chicken stock

coating the rice with oil and garlic

deglazing with white wine

one ladle at a time ;)

mmmmmm...starting to look good, but it's not quite there yet

adding the corn

now the tomato sauce

and about 20 minutes later, we're done! you know your risotto is done when the watery liquid has been fully absorbed and all that's left is the creamy consistency...also, the rice should be REALLY, really tender

Giada de Laurentiis’s Chicken Piccata
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half (*i bought chicken breasts that were already very thinly sliced...big time time saver*)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped (*i leave out the capers and parsley*)

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same ma nner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Reduce heat to medium low and add the lemon juice, stock and capers (*at this point, i leave out the capers but add a splash [about half a cup] of dry white wine*). Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.