Risotto Cakes and Pan Roasted Vegetables

 This one is for you Em.

I received several cookbooks for my birthday at the beginning of April. My cousin gave me one of her favourites from Ina Garten. We have both loved her, her shows and recipes for years. This Back to Basics cookbook has been very well tested by my cousin, and thousands of others. However, she has brilliantly noted, with her fantastic humour, all of the recipes that she has tried and how they have worked out for her.

We don't get to see or talk to each other often and she's probably the closest I'll ever get to a sister, so this is a very cherished gift.

Anyway, after all those nice words I'm almost embarassed to say that the note beside these risotto cakes is:

Please make these and invite me over

Em, please allow me to explain. Only Ina would probably have the confidence to try a recipe for the first time with company over but I certainly dont.

I will absolutely make this again (and invite people over). These were an absolute success...even though they were not even remotely diet friendly. Contrary to my love of fried food I've never been very good at pan frying things at home (go figure)...these were totally the exception to that.

I even froze the left overs and can't wait to take them for lunches in the next little while.

The Pan Roasted Vegetables were from the same cookbook. They were great too. I've been so into celery lately. Its just so good and when its slightly cooked its just a great subtle flavour, and Clutterbuck loves brussel sprouts so it was definitely a win-win recipe.

Now, the next challenge is to decide on another cookbook. I received a Chapters gift card for my birthday and it was given under the specific direction to buy a cookbook. Any suggestions????