You, too, can cook Risotto without burning the house down!

Today was a typical Monday here in Cleveland. It was grey, cold, and started to snow which was quite pretty as it fell in fat flakes. Anyhow, I was feeling bold, daring, and more than anything I was feeling like comfort food. Now, I know there are people out there who hate Rachael Ray. Admittedly, she isn't my favorite. But gosh darn it if she wasn't making Butternut Squash Risotto on a recent episode and it got me thinking!

I've always been intimidated by Risotto. All that stirring and waiting and whatnot. But it was warm, creamy, and delicately seasoned (if I do say so myself). Mostly, though, it was E.A.S.Y. And something you my friend can totally do. I promise it's worth it.

Winter Squash Risotto

Ingredients:
1 box of frozen Winter Squash, defrosted and drained of excess water
1/2 a medium white/yellow onion, chopped finely
2 T butter
1-1/2 C Arborio Rice
1/2 C White Wine (we used Mirassou Savignon Blanc--a new favorite)
6 C (roughly measured) Chicken Stock/Broth, heated in a pot on the stove
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
1/2 T Chopped fresh Sage

1. Set the Chicken Stock/Broth to heat in a pot on the stove.  While that's heating, chop half the onion finely.
2. In a separate pot, melt the butter.  Add onions and a pinch of salt and sweat onions until translucent.
3. When onions are translucent, add the 1-1/2 C rice to the butter and onion mixture. Mix to coat the rice and "toast" for a minute or so on medium heat.
4. Add the wine and stir.  Let the wine absorb into the grains of rice, which are pearly and shiny in the buttery goodness.
5. Begin to ladle in the chicken stock/broth a couple of ladle fulls at a time, stirring inbetween and letting it full absorb before adding more liquid.
6. When the rice is tender, let the last of the liquid absorb. Add the thawed winter squash and stir in to warm the mixture. 
7. Add cheese and sage, mix.
8. Serve in low shallow bowls and enjoy!

I'm telling you, you will NOT be disappointed.  And it took me less than 1/2 an hour to make it. Sure, there was stirring involved, but if you were cooking a more involved meal (and why would you?) you'd be stuck in the kitchen anyhow chopping, and slicing, grating, etc.  All you have to do is stir, my friend.  Stir!

Top 3: Tuesday Edition

I know. I know. It's been ridiculously long. Right now, I'm noshing on ridiculous amounts of candy corn after gorging myself on sesame chicken, pork fried rice, and an egg roll. Don't judge.

Anyhow, I figured you'd probably want to know what we've been eating besides peanut butter you have to stir (oh, wonderous natural peanut butter).

Top 3 homemade meals we've eaten in the last 30 days:
1. Super-stuffed sweet potatoes with spinach, onion, and cream cheese. If you love the sides at thanksgiving, this one is for you!
2. Pot Roast in the crock pot. Season the roast and sear in screaming hot pan on all sides. Put into the the crockpot with half a bag of frozen pearl onions, some small potatoes (or larger potatoes cut up), and some baby carrots. While the pan is still hot from searing the beef, pour in a can of 98% Fat Free/Low Sodium cream of mushroom soup with another half can or so of water and whisk to "melt" the soup, incorporate the water, and get any remaining beefy bits off the bottom of the pan. Season with a little bit of grill seasoning (or whatever you like), and pour the soup over the roast. Cook low for 8 hours until the meat is super tender and falling apart.
3. Pecan Waffles. Made by the husband while I was still sleeping. Oh, and a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. Heaven.

Top 3 meals we've eaten that did not involve home cooking of any kind:
1) Curried Butternut Squash Dumpling Soup. If you are in the Cleveland area and reading this, go to Sun Luck Garden on Taylor Road. Order this soup. When you're well, order this soup. When you are sick, order this soup. You will be healed of all that ails you. Swear.
2) Chicken Noodle Soup from Whole Payche--I mean, Foods. Whole Foods. Delicious chicken broth, tender chicken, kluski noodles, chunky veggies. Also amazingly healing. With the weather cooling down, and cold season kicking up, we've been eating lots of soup lately.
3) Zucchini Fries courtesy of O'Reilly's on Cedar Road. With horseradish dipping sauce. And a hard cider. Oh.Yes.

So, here's the deal. I promise to post more as time goes on. And pictures!

Halfway gourmet...

...but completely lazy.

Kel and I have definitely hit some sort of culinary (and otherwise) funk. Which explains why Kelly is off at the store right now looking for a frozen pizza to eat.

Things get tough for us at this time of year. Both of our jobs are at the beginning of the busy season (it never really stops, but still) and my fall classes just started up again so Kelly is on her own for two nights a week. I know we really have no excuses with no kids or anything like that, but sometimes it's just so easy to, well, want to do nothing when you get home from work. We'll get back to it soon, and we'll have more posts for ya'll to read, but tonight it's all about a frozen pizza, a little True Blood, and the Browns game.

Ciao

I'm so excited!

Kevin is in charge of dinner tonight. On the menu: turkey burgers on the grill and baked zucchini fries. He even bought the buns from the bakery section of the grocery store rather than the wonder bread ones from the bread aisle. Didn't you know I was a hamburger bun snob? Another wonderful foodie trait I gained from my mother.

More to report later and recipes to share... I've been tasked with checking the oven.

The Tale of Whole Paycheck and the Stinky Cheese

I was tired (ok, lazy) tonight and had grand ideas all day long of dining alfresco with my hubby, sipping wine and enjoying the unseasonably cool summer evening. So we headed to Whole Paycheck for some tasty treats. Fresh peaches on sale! I'll take them! Look at those succulent cherries! Sign me up! Green Olive Tapenade? Why not! Chilled Mango Coconut Soup? Sure thing! Throw a baguette in the cart? Of course!

Finally, we found ourselves at the cheese case, pouring over the possibilities. We settle on two selections--a St. Andre' Triple Cream and a Le Petit Brie. With $8 of cheese in hand we headed for check out.

At home, we prepped the tray--cherries, sliced baguette, olive spread, cheese, sliced apple, etc. And then I unwrapped the cheeses...

I've had alot of experience with stinky cheese thanks to my cheese loving parents and a trip to France when I was 14. I've met lots of brie in my day too. Never, ever have I smelled cheese less appetizing. The week old scallops that I finally discovered in the fridge and left in the garbage over night last week didn't even smell that bad. Moral of the story? Forget about the Le Petit Brie and just buy a bigger hunk of the St. Andre. You won't be sad, promise.

As for the rest of the meal, the olive tapenade was good but while I love olives, I'm not fully convinced I'm an olive tapenade fan. Not by itself anyhow. Maybe I'll shmear some on the other half of the baguette with some provolone, salami, capicola, etc. Think Muffaletta, people!

That's what I love about food. If you buy an ingredient that you aren't totally jazzed about, or you have lots of crazy left overs, there's usually a way to repurpose, reconfigure, and rework the parts until it is something that satiates. I think that life is that way too but we are often to frustrated and too distracted to see the possibilites.

So what's on your menu?