baby & toddler food: pumpkin bacon risotto

This was my first attempt at a risotto for Harry. The thing I love about this is you don't have to slave over a hot stove ladling the afternoon away, in fact you aren't anywhere near the stove, because you use the oven. So simple.

Harry has been eating different variations of this risotto (he prefers the risotto balls) since he was 9 months old. Feel free to add some of your child's favourite vegetables or cooked chicken, it's a very flexible recipe.

Ingredients 

2 tbs organic butter
1/2 brown onion, finely chopped
3 rashers of bacon, finely chopped
200g mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
4 1/2 cups salt reduced chicken stock (or make your own)
2 cups butternut pumpkin, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup grated cheese

Method 

1/ Preheat oven to 190oC.

2/ Melt butter in a frypan and sauté onion, bacon and mushrooms until bacon is cooked through.

3/ Combine all ingredients (except cheese) in a casserole dish. Stir to combine.

4/ Bake, uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until all stock is absorbed (it will continue to absorb on cooling).

5/ Stir through cheese.

Tip: Turn this into finger food by rolling into small risotto balls.

Note: If freezing in small containers, add a few tablespoons of water to each portion. More water may need to be added when reheating.