Idiot-proof oven-baked risotto

This week on the Alley we're all about serving up fast and fabulous meals that get us out of the kitchen quicker and back to our writing.

Enter: Idiot-proof oven-baked risotto.

Photo credit: yours truly. 

Now, before you break into a cold sweat at the thought of standing at the stove stirring the pot for an hour, let me just tell you, this recipe is E.A.S.Y. (An acronym for Extra fast, Absolutely healthy, and Sensationally Yummy.) No stirring involved!

It's a flexible recipe, meaning as long as you get the proportions of rice and stock correct, you can add WHATEVER quantity of vegetables you like, depending on what you have kicking around your fridge.

But that's enough yabber from me - you have a book to be writing! Let's get dinner on!

OVEN-BAKED RISOTTO

1. Preheat oven to 390 degrees Farenheit. (Or 200C for any fellow Aussies out there.)
2. In a casserole dish with a lid, add 1 cup arborio rice to 2.5 cups chicken stock.*
3. Add one diced onion and a couple of handfuls of sliced mushrooms.
4. Bake for 45 mins.
5. Cube some pumpkin, place it on an oven tray and give it a light spray of olive oil, and roast it on another rack in the oven for 20 mins, or until soft.
6. Once the rice is done, add 1 cup of frozen peas, the roasted pumpkin, and some cubed feta. Stir through and return to the oven for 10-15 mins.

Variations:
- Use a couple handfuls of baby spinach leaves instead of peas.
- If you're a die-hard carnivore, add some cooked and diced chicken, or prosciutto if you wanna get fancy.

* Note: quantity serves 3 - increase proportions if desired! You can also use veggie stock for a vegetarian version.

So that's it! Even my 1-year-old loved this recipe and devoured it! The 3-year-old took a little more convincing, but hey, you can't win 'em all! For a meal that took about 15 minutes prep, this was a winner.

Now get outta that kitchen and get writing!

Do you have a favourite super-fast recipe for deadline crunch-time? Please share!

Karen Schravemade lives in Australia. When she's not chasing after three small children, she spends her spare minutes daydreaming about the intricate lives of characters who don't actually exist. Find her on her website and Twitter.