Sweet Potato Risotto

A few weeks back I saw a yummy risotto recipe on Lynn's blog -- and since it had sweet potatoes, I was hooked.



Plus my mom had just given me a bag of risotto!  She said it had been in her pantry for a couple years, but rice stays good for a long time, so it should be fine.



When I went to open the bag (after I had already started making dinner), I thought, maybe I should check the expiration date.

I'm sorry to say, mom, but your rice had been in the pantry for more than 7 years!

Needless to say, I didn't feel overly comfortable using it in our dinner.

So, I proceeded and used minute rice in place of the risotto.  The result, I imagine, was not nearly as creamy as risotto, but it was still delicious.  A food fail turned positive :)



Sweet Potato Risotto - Adapted from Lynn's Kitchen Adventure

Ingredients

• 1/4 C onion, diced
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 lb. Italian turkey sausage
• 3/4 C Arborio rice (uncooked); we’ve also used minute brown rice
• 1 1/2 C - 2 C hot water
• 3/4 C chicken broth
• 2 C spinach (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 C Parmesan, shredded
• {optional – 8 oz. mushrooms}

Directions

Dice up the sweet potato.



Cook sausage and onion in an oven-proof dish until sausage is browned and done.



Add in sweet potato pieces and cook about a minute. If using mushrooms, add these here too. 



Then, add in the rice, stirring to coat the rice with the oils in the pan.



Stir in 1/2 C hot water, chicken broth, salt and pepper seasoning.



Bring to a boil. Then, add the spinach, if desired. 

Then, cover and transfer the dish to an oven, preheated to 425 degrees.  Or, if you pan is oven safe, skip this step. 

Bake about 20-25 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed by the rice.

Stir in 1/4 - 1/2 C water until the consistency is creamy.  Top with cheese.



We paired it with a delicious lemony-roasted asparagus, and it was a great meal!



This has to be one of our all-time favorite dinners; we use minute brown rice often, and have tossed in spinach, mushrooms and even bell peppers!

This post is linked to: Friday Fails, Grocery Cart Challenge, Mouthwatering Monday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Ingredient Spotlight