Butternut Squash Risotto

The crazy Louisiana heat left me very uninspired this past summer. At one point I swore off cooking anything and resorted to gazpacho, salsa and salads every night. Thankfully the weather is cooling down here and I can reacquaint myself with my stove.

For the rest of this season I will post my favorite recipes for Fall! All of my long time standbys and some newly discovered goodies. Here's a good one...

Butternut squash Risotto:

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 onion, diced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 butternut squash

1 1/2 cups Aborio rice

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. sage

olive oil

First cut the squash open long ways and remove the seeds. Peel the squash and then cut into 1" cubes. Toss onto a cookie sheet with salt, pepper, sage and olive oil until well coated and spread into an even layer. Don't be shy with the olive oil, it will give the squash its golden caramelized color. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until golden and tender.

Bring the stock to a boil in a small saucepan. In a separate saucepan saute onion in olive oil until starting to brown slightly. Add the rice, stirring to coat with the oil. Add the wine. Stir until the wine is absorbed. Now start adding the hot stock stock 1/2 cup at a time. You will need to stick around and stir continuously for about 20 minutes. Keep adding stock 1/2 cup at a time.

When you have about 1/2 cup of stock left, add the roasted butternut squash to the rice. Stir well then add the remaining stock to finish cooking. Add the Parmesan cheese at the end. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with a nice green salad!

Enjoy!

Pizza Night!

Category: Pizza
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: Less than 2 hrs
Special Considerations: Vegetarian

Delicious home made pizza is always a hit with my family! Here's my latest creation sure to satisfy the most critical of pizza connoisseurs!

For dough: mix 3/4 cup warm water with 1 packet active dry yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey, let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add 2 cups flour (I use all purpose, but you could use half whole wheat) 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix in mixer until comes together in a ball. Lightly flour surface and knead dough for a few minutes until smooth. Let rise in oiled bowl for one hour until doubled in size. When ready to make pizza punch down dough and knead again on floured surface. Cut dough ball in half and roll out to make two pizzas.

Sauce: Take one can organic Muir Glenn tomato sauce and cook with 1 teaspoon worceshire sauce, one clove crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, fresh ground black pepper and a dash of kosher sea salt.
While dough is rising- saute red onions and mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 bat of butter until caramelized.
Shred 1 cup monetary jack cheese, 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese and 1/4 cup pecorino ramano.
Roll out pizza dough and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until starting to brown slightly, take out of the oven and disperse generous amount of tomato sauce, then cheese then mushroom red onion mixture, then top with a little more of the cheese. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Enjoy!