Guest Bloggers: Michelle & Steve with Bison Sweet Potato Chili

My dear friends, Michelle and Steve, are amazing cooks.  They've made fajitas that make even the best Mexican restaurants envious - among other incredible dishes - and I always look forward to dinner at their apartment.  That's why I'm thrilled they fully documented their most recent kitchen adventure:  Bison Sweet Potato Chili.  While I haven't tried this recipe, the ingredients list is fresh and bursting with flavor.  I'm sure this chili would be perfect on a crisp Sunday afternoon watching football. 

P.S.  The good news is that this dish doesn't discriminate between the Redskins (Michelle's favorite team) or the Ravens (Steve's favorite team).  :)


Michelle & Steve being adorable.

Lemon and Fennel Risotto Balls

My last post on the Lemon and Fennel Risotto was a bit negative, I'll admit.  The risotto was delicious but not a quick dish; however, it completely redeemed itself when I made these Lemon and Fennel Risotto Balls with the leftovers!  Nothing like getting two meals out of a fairly complicated first round.  I especially enjoyed the risotto balls because they still contained the tartness of the original recipe while gaining the crispy fried outer layer from quickly searing them on a cast iron pan.

To make this into a quick and healthy weeknight dinner, I placed the risotto balls over a bed of fresh spinach with avocado and red pepper slices.  While I'm not sure these will be a regular in my kitchen due to the total time it required to make, I'm sure I'll be using the general technique with other rice-based dishes looking for a quick pick-me-up.

Lemon & Fennel Risotto

Ah, risotto...you have such a spotty reputation:  on one hand, you're delicious and flavorful; on the other, you're time consuming and patience-testing.

And this lemon and fennel risotto is no different.

For years, I've only heard negative feedback on making risotto and because of this, I've steered clear of ever attempting it.  In my opinion, it falls in the same category as roasted beets - good in theory, but perhaps not worth the effort and should be left to the professionals.  In any case, I was making a special dinner one night and decided to take the plunge and make risotto.  The result?  As expected...but it complimented a roasted herb salmon dish and even yielded a second meal of risotto balls.