Recipe 15: Slow cooker risotto with edamame

I wanted something yummy while I spent more time painting this weekend. It seemed like a perfect time to try a recipe i had been wanting to give a whirl for a while, Risotto with Edamame from the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, which is one of my favorite cookbooks for some reason. I enjoy it because it isn't just 'put a piece of meat in your crock pot and cover with cream of mushroom soup'. This recipe intrigued me since I enjoy edamame and risotto, why not put them togheter? Plus, the idea of risotto in the crockpot intrigued me. This was a double bonus since i'm still in my meatless phase for a few more weeks. Any way I can get some good healthy protein in is a good one right now.

Materials
3 cups chicken broth (i used 1 can broth and 1 cup water)
1 cup shelled edamame
1 tbl olive oil
2 tbl unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Methods
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add the edamame and bring cook acording to the package directions. Remove the edamame from the broth and set aside.
Heat oil and 1 tbl butter. cook onions, stirring periodically until softened. Add rice and cook for about 2 minutes. The goal is to turn the rice opaque.

Add the rice mixture to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 1 hr 45 to 2 hr 15 until the rice is al dente with a bit of liquid left in the pot.

Stir in the cooked edamame and remaining tbl butter. Cover and and let sit for 5 minutes to fully melt butter and heat edamame. Sitr in cheese and salt and pepper and serve.

Results
This was pretty OK. I think I would make it again. I think I overcooked the rice in the pan before putting it into the crock, which resulted in it cooking up too fast and used up all of the broth. It wasn't as creamy as expected and wasn't really firm. However, I think I better understand what I'm looking for in the translucivity of the rice now. The recipe said it served 3 to 4. If I did the math correctly, 1/3 of this was 7 points for WW. I enjoyed it with a salad on the side. I look forward to either re-trying this or anoter recipe. in time I'll get the whole risotto cooking thing down pat :)