Mushroom Risotto

Updated, from the recipe archives. Risotto is one of those dishes that we love to eat, but neither my father nor mother have the patience to make often. It takes about 20 minutes of careful watching and every few minutes adding a half cup of hot stock to the rice, as the rice slowly absorbs the liquid it's in. For this mushroom risotto, mushrooms are sautéed first, then cooked in cognac (or vermouth) and cream. Arborio rice is cooked slowly with stock and when done, the mushroom cream mixture is stirred in, along with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. (Hungry yet?) I actually don't mind watching over risotto, it's easy enough to do, and you can prepare other things while keeping the corner of your eye on the risotto. The result is so worth the effort. Perfect Guacamole From the archives, ¡Happy Cinco de Mayo! ~Elise Guacamole, a dip made from avocados, is originally from Mexico. The name is derived from two Aztec Nahuatl words - ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). The trick to perfect guacamole is using good, ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is a lot of give, the avocado may be past ripe and not good. In this case, taste test first before using.