Baked Sundried Tomato Risotto
A delicious and light, baked risotto with a myriad of flavors from artichokes, olives and sundried tomatoes. This would make a lovely main dish or even a side one.
Do you happen to have a friend or two that you’ve gone for years without seeing or talking to because y’all moved away from each other? As this holiday season comes around, I cannot help reflecting on some of those friends. The distance that once was physical transcends into something more than that and the calls and texts keep getting fewer as time goes by. Until, one day, y’all find yourselves sitting across a table from each other! Say what!
This past weekend, I sat across the table from a friend I hadn’t sat down and eaten with in more than 14 years. And, as lunch turned into dinner, I began to realize that other than some grey hairs and wrinkles – nothing has changed between us. The conversation carried on without any hostility, or pretense, or judgement, just the same camaraderie and playfulness that I thought had been lost. While our children have grown and so have our laugh lines, the distance and space that had existed between us seemed inconsequential as we picked up right where we left off – only we both had trouble remembering exactly where that was!
As we sat and lingered for hours over meals, and desserts and coffees, I was so glad that each of the meals we enjoyed were light and I realized that those are the kind of meals I want to linger over with family and friends this holiday season. As Italian was always a favorite with my friend, I went with a slightly adapted take on a traditional North Italian dish by making a Baked Sundried Tomato Risotto made with Colavita Arboria Rice flavored with Colavita artichokes, sundried tomatoes and green olives married together with Colavita Garlic Olive Oil. All those flavors coming together is like the sun coming out after 3 weeks of rain!
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Artichoke, Olive & Sundried Tomato Baked Risotto Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli Chocolate Bean "Cheese"cakes
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 2 tbspns Colavita Garlic Olive Oil
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 Colavita artichoke hearts
- 3 Colavita Olives
- 2 pieces sundried tomato chopped
- 1 cup Colavita Arboria Rice
- 2 cups Vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cup brussels sprouts
- 1 1/2 cup broccoli
- 1/4 cup Colavita Hot pepper oil
- 1 can cannellini beans - drained and rinsed
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
- 6 Squares Perugina Orange Dark Chocolate melted
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Toppings: 4 Perugina White Chocolate Chopped up and 2 each mini Perugina chocolates chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, then add onion, and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients - including the rice and vegetable stock
- And transfer skillet to oven and let risotto bake for 20 minutes
- Thoroughly mix Brussels sprouts and broccoli with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes
- Preheat oven to 375 (can be baked along with the risotto)
- Place ALL the ingredients in a blender and blender and pulse till mixture is smooth
- Divide between 4 oven safe bowls and bake for 25 minutes
- Let cool
- Top with rest of Perugina Chocolates and enjoy
Family-owned Colavita®, is well known for their authentic Italian olive oils and specialty products, including durum wheat semolina pasta, a full selection of balsamic and wine vinegars, traditional and organic pasta sauces, and olive-canola blended oils, are the ingredients of choice for chefs in home, restaurant, and professional kitchens. Colavita® has also received awards from Fine Cooking, Cook’s Illustrated and Men’s Health and has also made an appearance on the Dr. Oz show. Colavita® also happens to be the US distributor of Perugina high quality chocolate bars, pralines, hard candy, panettone and Baci (Perugina’s most famous confection).
By the Way, each Bacio is hugged by a note that reflects sentiments of love, affection and friendship.
That’s awesome that you got to see your friend after 14 years–I love friendships where you can pick up right where you left off! <3
I haven't eaten dinner yet, and now I'm so, so hungry. These both look so amazing! *-*!!! I haven't had risotto in years!
So glad that met your friend after 14 years. And this sounds and looks like a droolicious dinner menu, Shashi. Would love to try baked risotto.
What a delicious dinner, Shashi! I I’ve never had baked risotto, but that sounds great! Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of beens-based desserts, but these cheese bowl look lovely so I would give them a try. And the most important thing. I haven’t been on this blog for a week or so. Is it long enough? Did I deserve the similar meal?:)
Baked risotto is my new favourite for sure 🙂
I often use Colavita EVOO — good stuff! And it’s always fun catching up with old friends, isn’t it? Sounds like a wonderful time. Certainly the food all looks great!
Thanks so much KR – You sure are right Colavita is some good stuff!
Oh I am SO glad that after 14 years it was like just like good ole times when you saw your friend! I think about old friendships this time of year too. It’s sad that as we get older, and live gets busier, friendships fall by the wayside. Anyways, this entire meal is beyond delicious, Shashi! Risotto and brussels are some of my favorite things and yours look scruuuuuumptious! I’ve never had a bean cheesecake before! I’m totally intrigue, because it looks YUM! I’ve got to give that a go! Cheers, my dear! <3
Thanks so much Cheyanne! Guess I know what to make as the main and side when you come to visit eh?
I sure hope you do try a bean cheesecake – I adore them and seeing they have yogurt and eggs and beans in them – well, guess they can even be breakfast cheesecake right? 😉
Oh my gosh, there is so much awesomeness in this post that I don’t even know where to begin! Did you know that Baci are one of my all-time favorite chocolates? I even got a box for Laura for Valentine’s Day when we first started dating. None of that fake chocolate in heart-shaped boxes…blech! I want the good stuff! I love that you used Baci in a dessert now. I pretty much want this entire meal tonight…can that be arranged? 🙂
David – I’m thinking/hoping a present of Baci chocolates on V-day redeemed you from the whole Oreo Cheesecake snafu …or well, maybe a present of Baci chocolate EVERY V-day to come will redeem you from turning down Mrs Spiced’s Oreo cheesecake! Hey my drone is working again – but Lil Shashi is in the process of wrestling the Chocolate-Bean Cheesecakes with Baci from it…and dang…she flung it against the wall…oops…guess no Baci-Cheese-like cake for you…
Three awesome recipes today Shashi! No moss on this rolling stone. (You.) Glad you had a great catch-up with your friend over wonderful eats. I have friends like that, we can just pick up where we left off. It’s the biggest gift ever because there are different seasons of life and we can’t always keep up the way we’d like in every season. Great blessing to have life-time friends. I went to a boarding school in high school and a lot of my dearest friends are from there. Ok, well have a fab-u-lous day! xo
This is my first time hearing that you went to boarding school! Wow – I’m thinking all that time spent with your buds during high school must have lead to some intensely close friendships! Allie, I have a feeling you are one of those people I could sit and chat and linger with for hours on end even though we are new friends…
Everything looks so amazing!! But I have to try that risotto! My college roommates are like that…we could go months without talking and years without seeing each other and nothing changes between us. We have a girls beach trip planned this January for one of my roommate’s 50th…so excited!
Michelle – now that beach trip sounds like it’s gonna be a blast! I bet you cannot wait for 2016 to show up 🙂
BTW – Thanks so much!
Oh wow! I love risotto and sundried tomatoes. And that dessert looks incredible! Given I haven’t lived in my hometown for 6 years, I’m used to being away from my closest friends. However, every time we catch up, it’s like no time at all has passed!
Those are the best of friends – right Tara?
It looks like a great menu! I love esp. those roasted brussel’s sprouts.
Thanks so much Angie
I love seeing old friends and spending time with them! The menu looks fantastic! I love Colavita products!
Thanks so much Mira!