Raiding the Pantry

Thanks to Good and Cheap Eats, I am inspired to clean out the pantry.

(http://goodcheapeats.com/2011/01/the-pantry-challenge-is-on/)

The plan is to buy only dairy and produce, and the rest of the meal comes from the freezer or pantry. We are saving a few pennies on the groceries this month.

Tonight, we are having butternut squash soup and salad. Tuesday, roasted chicken with oranges and red onion (stock to be made later). Wednesday our line up is turkey-mushroom patties with roasted veggies and Thursday is our standard homemade pizza night. Friday is roasted turkey breast with stuffing, cooked mainly by my handy-dandy crockpot. All of this should provide leftovers for Saturday and most of Sunday. I will have a chicken pot pie in reserve, just in case.

Thus, all that is left is to begin deepening my relationship with the stove!

Orange-Cinnamon Rice Pudding

Time for more weekend food! This weekend we are enjoying orange-cinnamon rice pudding. Also taken from Food Network's magazine. Yum!

Ingredients

- 1 strip of orange peel

- 1/2 tsp of grated zest

- 1 T of unsalted butter

-1 C of arborio rice

-4 C of milk

- 3/4 C of granulated sugar

- 2 Cinnamon sticks

- 2 tsp of vanilla

- 1/2 C of mascarpone cheese

- 3 tsp of confectioners sugar

Directions

1. Combine the orange peel, 2 cups water, the butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the rice and return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

2. Bring the milk, granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks and vanilla to a low boil in another saucepan. Add the rice and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring, until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in the grated orange zest and 1/4 cup mascarpone.

3. Transfer the rice pudding to a large bowl and let cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and set, about 2 hours.

4. Beat the remaining 1/4 cup mascarpone and the confectioners' sugar in a bowl.

5. Remove the cinnamon sticks and orange peel from the pudding. Serve topped with the mascarpone and cinnamon.