Risotto fritters

A new cookbook of mine has a recipe for risotto fritters. Basically, make the risotto, let it cool, shape into small discs, refrigerate for 15 minutes, then fry in a couple centimeters of hot oil.

Well, it doesn't work. Maybe my discs were just too big? I tried it after refrigerating them. I tried freezing them. I tried cooking in a skillet with no oil. Nothing.

But, it did enhance the flavor when I tried frying them in olive oil (it was sun-dried tomato spread and granitu cheese - similar to parmesan). It was really yummy, just not what I expected. If anyone knows how to make risotto fritters, I'd love to learn how he or she does it.

Peach pie/cobbler thing

I bought a bunch of fresh peaches at the farmers' market a couple weeks ago. What do you do with lots of fresh peaches? You make a pie/cobbler thing. I took it into work and my coworkers loved it (I would've sent it to daycare but I didn't know how much brandy was left in it).

Peach Pie/Cobbler Thing

Blanch a bunch of peaches (I think I used 11), peel, and slice. Melt half a stick of butter in a large pan, then pour in the peaches, a cup of sugar, and 1/2 cup brandy. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool.

Roll out a puff pastry sheet until it fits your lightly greased pan. Put the pastry in the pan, then pour the peach mixture on top. Bake at 350 until it's bubbly (maybe 30-45 min?). Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Chili

I posted this on Jax's blog back in February, but I thought I'd move it over here in an attempt to consolidate recipes.

Yummy Chili
1 lb hamburger
1 lb spicy sausage (we used venison sausage made by one of my coworkers)
1 onion, chopped
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 small can tomato paste
1 can tomato soup
1 can ro*tel (any variety)
1 can diced tomatoes
2-3 bay leaves
chili powder
basil
fresh ground black pepper

In a large, heavy bottomed pan, brown the meat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Pour in all the cans. Add the bay leaves and 10-15 shakes of the spices. Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Makes 8 filling servings.

Thanks a lot, Amish people

I kept one of my Amish friendship bread babies to experiment with (I actually gave the other one away, for the first time since I started). I made four different kinds (I divided each batter in half), all using vanilla pudding, and each was delicious.

1. Plain old chocolate chip, which made six large muffin cookies.
2. Apple and cranberry crumbcake - cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, an apple, and a handful of craisins, topped with a food-processed mixture of a stick of butter, cinnamon, a cup of sugar, and about 1/3 c flour. We sent this into daycare for the assistant director's birthday, and she was very disappointed that she only got one small piece - the kids and other teachers ate the rest! One of Jax's teachers was telling everyone that she gave me the recipe (she's been giving me several that she finds in magazines). Nope, came up with it myself!
3. Spiced vanilla - all the spices of the apple and cranberry one but without those or the topping; it also made six large muffin cookies.
4. Maple pecan - mixed a cup of chopped pecans into the batter, then drizzled maple syrup on the top before I baked them. This made eight tiny baby loaves.