Risotto fear

I have alwasy wanted to make a mushroom risotto but I have always been chicken. My mother told me that it was really hard to make and not to bother. Even the rice frightened me. However after watching Hell's Kitchen I am convinced of two things

1. I am a better chef than a lot of those people

2. If they can make risotto so can I.

So I have been working on it. My first attempt wasnt terrible really. the rice wasn't as smooth and creamy as i thought it should be. But it really wasn't hard just time consuming.

here is what I used

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup arborio rice
1 medium shallot

1 medium onion

2 Tbs butter / divided

salt pepper and 4.5 cups wild mushrooms

in one pan heat the broth

in another pan saute the mushrooms with 1 tsp butter and 1/4 broth

and in one more pan saute the shallots and onions with the remaining butter. Add in the rice and stir until coated. put in one ladel full of simmering stock and stir until it is absorbed. continue this until you get smooth creamy rice. then add the mushrooms and stir through. salt and pepper to taste.

my new toy

I knew the mixer was going. so I searched for my new mixer slowly. I found the cuisinart 5.5 quart ( my KA was 4.5 quart) it's bigger and quieter. it has all the attachments and even has a timer for when I make certain doughs and marshmallows. I can't even wait to use it. it came in yesterday. I wanna play but I don't know what to make!

my poor mixer

my kitchen aid mixer died. I only had one attachment for it and that was the whisk. the whisk broke a prong , the motor couldn't handle my harder tasks and it didn't lock in the down position any more. It was well over 10 years old. it was time. I gave it to my mother so it's kind of like going to a rest home to live out it's last few months, years doing simple tasks like making boxed cakes *shudder*

it was strong and faithful. it made hundreds of cakes, cookies, meringues, piles of whipped cream, pizza doughs, and marshmallows. but everything good comes to an end. I have sent it to rest and die in peace with my mother. *sniff*