Monday, November 21, 2011

Cheese and Whine: Two Buck Chuck Risotto

I was going to say put the Franzia down and trade it for some "Two Buck Chuck", but now I have even less authority to do so. First off, I am someone who has absolutely no business talking about wine. However, it is fun to pretend that picking wine off the shelf at Trader Joe's makes me a wine connoisseur. 

The rumor mill has been flying about how "Two Buck Chuck" is so cheap. However, I can now tell you that it wasn't a husband getting revenge in a messy divorce (which I believed) or that when United Airlines went bankrupt they sold a warehouse of it to Trader Joe's. The truth is when I was trying to write a post about my awesome "Two Buck Chuck" experience, I found that actually Fred Franzia actually owns the Charles Shaw wine label, which explains a lot. Brilliant marketing strategy. 

Still, I think if you are a college student, or someone who knows absolutely nothing about wines, like myself, it's a cheap delicious easy meal. (Note: It probably will taste even better with a wine picked by someone who knows what they are actually doing).  

This is still a great risotto that I adapted from Pioneer Woman. I did take out a lot of the butter and whipping cream since I am trying to eat healthy because I'm running a 10k on Thanksgiving. 

My mom and dad always would use that corny parental joke line. "Would you like some cheese with that whine?" Didn't yours too?  

Two Buck Chuck Risotto 

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/2 whole Large Yellow Onion, Diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 cups Arborio Rice, Uncooked
  • 8 whole Sundried Tomatoes Packed In Oil, Drained And Minced
  • 1 cup Dry White Wine (Two Buck Chuck Chardonnay)
  • 5 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • Salt As Needed
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 cup Parmesan, Freshly Grated
  • Fresh Basil, (optional)

  1. Heat broth (note: it's important the broth be low sodium) in a saucepan or in a microwave safe pitcher. Set aside.
  3. Add dry rice. Stir to coat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring gently.
  5. Then begin adding broth, one cup at a time, stirring gently while the rice absorbs the liquid each time. Repeat this until the rice is done---it usually takes between 4 and 5 cups of broth. The rice should have a slight bite to it, but not be crunchy at all.
  6. Remove from heat, then stir in Parmesan. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve as a main dish with a salad, or as a side dish with steak, chicken, or fish. Delicious!
Adapted from: Pioneer Woman


  1. I make risotto very often because my son and husband love it! This one looks so good with the sun dried tomatoes!

  2. I've never made risotto but this post has me wanting to! It looks sooo good! Thanks for sharing, I'll definitely be bookmarking this recipe :)