Risotto!

Risotto is one of my favorite foods, and with a TON of leftovers from New Year's Eve/Day, it's a good way to use up extra ingredients. With leftover shrimp that had been steamed in Old Bay and Caprese salad skewers, time was running out to re-imagine these items or to eat them as is. Enter the arborio rice to turn everything into a cohesive risotto.

Ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls (bite size)
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 pound of cooked shrimp, no shells, no tail, de-veined
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions:
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil. Toss the tomatoes on the sheet, and drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, herbs, and salt. Pop into a 375 degree F oven for approximately 30 minutes, until the tomatoes have shriveled. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add in the arborio rice and stir until the rice is shimmery with oil. Add the garlic and stir, then add 1 cup of chicken stock, stirring until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Add in another cup of stock, and repeat--stirring until almost all of the stock is absorbed and repeating. When almost all of the liquid is absorbed and you're out of stock, grab the tomatoes and stir them in. Add in the mozzarella and stir--it'll start to get melty and stringy. Add in the shrimp and stir to heat them through. Before serving, drizzle on the balsamic vinegar. Devour.