Marlene Stabin has been cooking all her life

Marlene Stabin has been cooking — and loving it — all her life.

“My passion started at age 10 with a 1950 Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook in loose-leaf form. A neighbor was throwing it out and I scooped it up and brought it home,” the Heartland Street resident says. “I came from an Italian background and food was always wonderful, but I began with pancakes from scratch.

“Even at this young age, I was tweaking the recipe by adding cinnamon or bananas,” the New York native said. “We didn’t have cooking shows at that point. When those shows did become popular, like Julia Child and the Galloping Gourmet, I was there.”

She started college taking food science but after a year changed to teaching. “No one mentioned all the wonderful cooking schools, they just pushed being a dietician,” Stabin says. “I had a more creative nature.”

She went into teaching and that became a passion as well.

“Yet the passion for cooking continued. In my married life, my husband was always so good about trying new recipes. I hardly ever cooked the same thing twice,” she said. “I loved to entertain and prepare all the foods. My children muddled through different recipes among the ‘normal ones.’”

Stabin has helped with cooking for organizations’ annual events and has had a catering business featuring international fare. She moved to Wellsley Village a few years ago.

Stabin chose her Summer Risotto recipe.

Why is this meal a favorite? “This is a nice dish, a summer version using your garden vegetables. You can use asparagus, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and any combination. …

“Risotto is something I always had growing up but I wanted a summer theme so I added summer produce to bring a fresh, lighter approach to it.”

Time to prepare? “The risotto takes about 30 minutes; 20 minutes for actually cooking and about 10 to prep any veggies you are adding.”

Any special instructions not included with the recipe? “The effort to make this is worth the time you put into it. … If you want to add chicken, this is a great way to use leftover chicken breasts or thighs. Just take if off the bone, if it is not boneless.” Can be used as a side dish.

Summer Risotto

Ingredients

4 small zucchini or yellow squash, or one bunch of asparagus

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 cups arborio short-grain rice (traditional choice for making classic Italian risotto. You must use arborio rice for a creamy result.)

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup dry white wine; use wine you would like to drink.

6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

1 Tbs. thyme, crushed between fingers

2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

2 Tbs. fresh chopped basil or 1 Tablespoon dry basil

1 lemon; you will use zest and juice.

Salt and pepper to taste; note that broth and Parmesan have salt.

4 Tbs. butter

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Bring the vegetable or chicken stock to a simmer in a pot. Put lid on until ready to use.

Dice the squash into bite-size pieces or if using asparagus, snap off ends and cut into inch slices on the diagonal.

Using a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add vegetables. Sauté for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove to a bowl.

Add remaining olive oil and add chopped onion, cook on medium high heat for about 10 minutes until soft.

Add garlic, cook for two minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn or it gets bitter. Don’t add until after onions are almost cooked.

This is an important part. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to skillet and let melt.

Then add the arborio rice. It is important to stir and coat the rice with the oil and butter. Add wine and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Ladle in 1 cup of simmering stock at a time, stirring constantly until the stock is almost all gone.

Add the next cup. stirring again.

Keep adding the stock in this manner. It will take about 20 minutes, but it is worth it. The rice will be absorbing the stock and getting creamy.

Taste.

If after you add all the stock the rice still is not cooked enough, add 1/2 cup water and continue with the constant stirring.

Add the squash, or asparagus, tomato, zest you have grated from the lemon, and rest of the seasonings.

Stir well.

Add juice of one lemon, 2 tablespoons of butter and the Parmesan cheese.

Stir well and serve.