vanilla strawberry & vanilla peach risotto

i don't know about you, but i love vanilla. it's warm and comforting. and perfectly sweet. i also love a good risotto - so why not put them together??


***Vote for this sweet risotto here in this week’s Holiday Recipe Exchange! Click on the link, scroll down to #34 and click "vote"! That's it!

especially when i saw the holiday recipe exchange posted on Good Life Eats and my baking addiction and this week's challenge: vanilla! and this week's prize? $150 gift basket from Beanilla!

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Beanilla.

so head on over to GoodLife Eats and vote for me!

i tried two versions of fruit + vanilla combinations and both are winners. the first is pretty simple. a whole vanilla bean, milk, and homemade strawberry jam. the perfect blend of sweet fruit and vanilla. and if you're a fan of savory risotto, you'll be a fan of the sweet stuff too.



the second is only slightly more complicated since i used peaches i picked myself and canned a few months ago. instead of cooking the rice in milk, i used the lite syrup the peaches were canned in, along with some chopped peaches and a vanilla bean. the only thing missing was extra creaminess, which i got from a bit of yogurt mixed in at the end. it's really a perfect way to use up not so perfect fresh peaches or the canned stuff.

if you aren't so lucky (or is it crazy?!) to have your own canned peaches, pick up a can at the store. look for peaches canned in lite syrup, strain out the peaches, and add enough water to make 2 and a half cups. easy as that!

what better way to start off a weekend of fall cleaning and housework?!

vanilla strawberry risotto
30 minutes, makes about 1 1/2 cups

2 cups 2% milk
1 whole vanilla bean or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup strawberry jam
optional toasted sliced almonds or crushed pistachios

1. place the milk in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. split the vanilla bean down the middle, scrape out the seeds, and add the seeds and bean to the milk. bring to a simmer and don't let boil or you'll have a milk mess on your hands. when it's simmering, turn the heat down as low as it can go to keep the milk warm.
2. in a second sauce pan or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium low heat. add the rice, stir to coat, and cook a couple minutes until toasted.
3. turn the heat down to low and add the milk, about a half cup or small ladle at a time, until creamy. the whole process should take about 20 minutes. if your rice or milk starts to scald, turn the heat down lower.
4. once all the milk has been absorbed, stir in the jam. if you didn't use a vanilla bean, stir in the vanilla extract. taste the risotto and add more vanilla if you wish. continue cooking until thickened.
5. top with toasted sliced almonds or crushed pistachios.

vanilla peach risotto
30 minutes, makes about 1 1/2 cups

2 1/2 cups lite peach syrup (if using canned peaches, be sure to buy peaches canned in light syrup, measure out the syrup from the can and add enough water to make 2 1/2 cups total)
1 whole vanilla bean or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
1/2 cup finely diced peaches
optional toasted sliced almonds or crushed pistachios

1. place the lite peach syrup in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. split the vanilla bean down the middle, scrape out the seeds, and add the seeds and bean to the syrup. bring to a simmer and turn the heat down as low as it can go to keep the syrup warm.
2. in a second sauce pan or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium low heat. add the rice, stir to coat, and cook a couple minutes until toasted.
3. turn the heat down to low and add the syrup, about a half cup or small ladle at a time, until creamy. the whole process should take about 20 minutes. if your rice starts to scald, turn the heat down lower.
4. once all the syruphas been absorbed, stir in the yogurt and diced peaches. if you didn't use a vanilla bean, stir in the vanilla extract. taste the risotto and add more vanilla if you wish. continue cooking until thickened.
5. top with toasted sliced almonds or crushed pistachios.