Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto

You know you are caught between two worlds when, while doing a Google search, you keep inadvertently swapping the word "pumpkin" for "pumping" and vice versa.

The days of simplicity and one track thinking {though, really, have I ever not multitasked?} are coming to an end soon, my friends. The evidence is clear in my big ol' bulging belly and the fact that a complete stranger yelled "Paint it orange for Halloween!" out his car window while I was crossing the street. Classy.

Belly evidence.
These are the gals that helped throw me the most perfect baby shower ever!

This week marked the end of our HypnoBirthing classes {which I've officially written a very long -  but informative! - post about and will be sharing next week}, meaning that we're one step closer to getting this show on the road. For our last class, a couple who had practiced HypnoBirthing brought in their 4 week old baby boy and shared their birthing story with us. They also gave us some tips for surviving the first few weeks of being new parents, which were greatly appreciated.

They made one thing very clear: You will have time for almost nothing. Not sleep. Not bathroom breaks. Not cooking or eating. {Whimper.} But you will become very efficient at using any spare moments that may be gifted to you for important things like naps, quick bites of sustenance and gazing at your newborn with awe.

Can't wait.

Our instructor mentioned a baby-wearing group that meets monthly in the same office where the classes were held, and how she noticed that they have become alarmingly skilled at doing things with one arm. I imagine this is one of those special adaptations that parents develop as a survival skill, along with bionic hearing and a variety of other special talents.

Naturally, that got me to thinking about recipes that could easily be made with one hand {or with very short moments of needing both}. Would you ever think about risotto being one of those things? Probably not.

Risotto is often thought of as quite fussy and labor-intensive. So, out of curiosity, I decided to make this version and see how it would turn out with very little "babysitting".

And wouldn't you know it... it worked. Quite well, in fact!

Now, there are some ways to make this even easier by taking shortcuts like buying pre-chopped onions & butternut squash, and grated cheese . {Side note: Butternut squash is one of the only convenience items I think of as a worthwhile purchase. I've nearly lost fingers too many times to count while dismantling a whole butternut squash.} But if you happen to have two hands available, it isn't even necessary because the tasks are pretty quick and simple.

Just roast some diced butternut squash, saute some onion, add rice and liquid and let it simmer. Adding the liquid in 3 separate additions helps to make the rice tender and creamy, but you really don't need to do all the stirring that is often associated with risotto. So that's good news.

The other good news is that it tastes really good. And it looks like you actually worked hard to put it together, so even new parents who only have one arm available can psych people out and make them think they've really got things under control.

Maybe my next project -- you know, after having a baby and everything -- will be to write an entire collection of recipes that can be cooked with one arm. Because I'm sure I'll have time for that.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto
Adapted from Real Simple 

1 1/2 cups chopped butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine {or chicken/vegetable broth}
3 1/2 cups chicken broth, heated through in a microwave safe container with spout
1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or aged Havarti cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a sheet of foil on a baking pan and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Plop butternut squash onto pan & toss with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes or until tender and lightly browned in spots.

Remove from oven and set aside.

2. In a deep skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 4-6 minutes.

3. Add rice to onions and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add wine {or broth} and allow to simmer until the liquid is absorbed. {This should take about 5-7 minutes.}

4. Pour in about 1/3 of the chicken broth that's been warmed. Give it a quick stir {yes, you can do this with one arm}, bring the heat down a smidge {you want a simmer, not a boil} and allow to simmer until the liquid is absorbed once again, about 7-9 minutes or so. Repeat with another 1/3 of the broth. When you add in the last 1/3, toss in your roasted butternut squash and minced sage. Stir and allow to absorb the last of the liquid. {You don't even have to watch it, which means you might even be able to sneak in a bathroom break.}

5. Before serving, add in cheese, salt & pepper to taste and stir {for the last time!}

Serve hot... and try to eat it while it's still at that temp. You deserve it! :)

Mini Butternut Squash, Apple & Onion Gratins

How was your weekend? I spent my Sunday cooking up all kinds of autumnal goodies, which is nice since I haven't had much to talk about around here lately. {Notice I skipped right over Saturday and my team's loss at LSU. Ugh.}

Anyway, here we are, mid-way through October and I've already ODed on pumpkin recipes. {Ok, not really, but I'm ready to take a little break.}

It's time to explore other fall produce. We wouldn't want to make anyone jealous. I'm talkin' to you, butternut squash.

Cooking is always a lot more fun when you've got new items in your kitchen. Like these precious little stoneware Le Creuset Mini Cocottes.

I die.

Are they not just about the cutest thing you've ever seen?

When my friends at BigKitchen asked me if I'd be interested in playing around with these, I jumped at the chance. Because they're adorable, that's why. And then, the reality of their teensyness hit me and I started wonder what the heck one makes in such itty-bitty little pots.

My mind immediately turned to dessert {because that's the station that it's pretty much permanently tuned in to}. Pot de creme? Mini souffle? Creme brulee? Too easy.

I wanted to make something savory, original and, of course, delicious.

These Mini Butternut Squash, Apple & Onion Gratins totally fit the bill. I mean, how perfect are these for a fall dinner party?

Layers of butternut squash, tart green apple and savory onion are punctuated by tiers of gooey cheese. They bubble away until tender, filling the house with the most amazing smell. I loved the sweet and savory combination of the squash and apple... and don't even get me started on the little bits of slightly burnt cheese. I could probably eat an entire dish of that alone. {Gross, but true.}

Served in their own petite pot, they'll make each guest feel like whatever is inside was made especially for them.

The good news is you can make pretty much anything you'd make in a big Dutch oven in these diminutive ones. Individual soups, stews, baked eggs, pastas, puddings, dips... the possibilities are endless!

What would you make in these mini cocottes?

One lucky winner will have their very own set of 2 mini cocottes thanks to BigKitchen! Enter to win using the Rafflecopter widget below {NOTE: Don't freak out at all the steps, you don't have to do all of them... only a few are mandatory. But remember, the more you do, the better your odds!}.

Disclosure: BigKitchen provided me with my own set of mini cocottes as well as a set of 2 for the giveaway winner. As always, the opinions here are all my own.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Mini Butternut Squash, Apple & Onion Gratins

1 butternut squash {preferably one with a longish neck}, sliced into thin inch rounds
1 medium onion, peeled sliced into thin rounds
1 Granny smith apple, cored and sliced into thin rounds
4 ounces sharp white cheddar or favorite cheese {I think Gouda would work well here, too}, grated
Salt
Pepper
4 tablespoons half and half {or heavy cream}
Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare mini cocottes by coating with olive oil or butter.

2. Start layering slices: Place one slice butternut squash, one slice apple, and one slice onion into each mini cocotte. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Top with about a tablespoon {or two, I won't judge} of cheese.

4. Repeat the process of layering slices once more. Season with salt & pepper, and top with grated cheese again.

5. Add one more slice of butternut squash. Pour 1 tablespoon of half and half or cream over top of each gratin. Give each gratin one final sprinkling of cheese.

6. Spray lids to mini cocottes with non-stick cooking spray and cover each dish with its lid.

7. Place mini cocottes on a small cookie sheet and bake gratins for about 35-40 minutes or until tender. {Use a knife to test and make sure it is able to slip all the way though to the bottom.

8. Remove lids and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese on top begins to brown.

Cool for 15-20 minutes before serving so that the layers have a chance to set.

Thanksgiving Special Edition: Sides & Sweets

Well, it's here.

The culminating culinary event of the year: Thanksgiving.

I realize that you've probably already decided on your menu for Thursday. I understand that you might have already purchased a small farmer's market-worth of produce and a turkey so big that it has quite possibly been pecking at anabolic steroids for the course of its existence and are probably thinking to yourself, "Thanks for nothin', chick."

I applaud you for your foresight and planning.

But I know that some of you are still sitting there, surrounded by dogeared cooking magazines with an empty fridge and sparse pantry completely overwhelmed and wondering how you're going to pull this thing off.

Not to worry.

I am here to tell you that you can do it. Really, you can. I have faith in you.

Now, take a deep breath and do not freak out about what I'm going to say...

I am not going to show you how to cook a turkey.

Why? Why, for the love of all things, am I not?

Because you don't need my help. There are about 5 billion tutorials, recipes, methods, and techniques out there, most of which I'm sure you've already seen multiple times, on how to roast a turkey. Nothing I tell you is going to be so earth-shatteringly revolutionary that it will cause Martha herself to show up at your doorstep and beg you for the recipe.

Showing you how to properly prepare, or truss, or baste or slice a turkey is not going to make your mother-in-law like you any more than she does. And let's face it: No matter who shows you how to make this bird, no matter how amazing the step-by-step instructions...  several of you will still forget to defrost the bird, or turn on the oven, or remove the bag of giblets from the cavity.

That's what makes it Thanksgiving.

So, now that I've delivered this shocking news, let's move on and get to taking about what IS going to make your Thanksgiving menu stand out.

Sides and Sweets.

In my opinion, they're what can really turn a predictable meal up a notch.

So... are you ready?

I'm starting off with a controversial side: Stuffing. Or dressing. The name alone is enough to start a debate. {Which do you call, it by the way?}

Can I be honest? {Has anyone answering that question with, "No." ever stopped me?}

I don't think I ever ate "real" stuffing/dressing growing up. I'm pretty sure the only version I ever had was the kind that comes in a cardboard box and doesn't taste much different. That could be why I've never been very interested in it.

But this stuff... Oh my. So good. Like, "You can keep the turkey." kind of good.

It's Sausage, Kale & Butternut Squash Stuffing/Dressing.

I used homemade bread in mine and the results were amazing. I totally understand if you're not about to start your adventures with bread baking this week, though, and a good store bought artisan loaf should do the trick.

Next up {I'm doubling up this week since I've given myself only THREE days to share all of this incredibleness with y'all}: Lemon-Scented Broccoli Soufflé.

It's a great way to get a veggie on the Thanksgiving table without having to resort to the old standbys. Plus, the fact that it's a soufflé makes it pillowy and light, leaving more room for sampling the rest of the goods. Lemon zest works perfectly here to brighten up the flavor of the broccoli and add a fresh, citrusy punch.

Tomorrow, I've got two more sides for you to consider... and Wednesday... well, that's the day you'll really want to stop by. ;)

Now, get cookin'!

 

Sausage, Kale & Butternut Squash Stuffing/Dressing
slightly adapted from Food Network

4 tablespoons butter {plus extra for greasing dish}
1 pound sweet Italian sausage {I used Organic Chicken Sausage}
2 large leeks, white and light-green parts only, sliced
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced {about 2 1/2 to 3 cups}
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch kale, leaves trimmed and chopped
Approximately 4 cups stale onion focaccia, cubed {Or any crusty bread. I made my own using this recipe.}
1 egg
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1  cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large casserole dish {approx. 3 quart} and set aside.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan with high sides {or a Dutch oven}over medium high heat, and add sausage. Cook until browned and no pink is visible.

3. Add leeks, squash, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until leeks are tender, about 4 minutes.

4. Stir in chopped kale and cook until just beginning to wilt, 4-5 minutes.

5. Add cubed bread and remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, and toss together gently, careful not to break up bread too much.

6. In a bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together broth and egg until combined. Add 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt.

7. Pour egg mixture over bread and cook for about a minute, or until most of the moisture is soaked up by the bread.

8. Pour into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

9. Bake about 40 minutes, until top is golden and mixture is cooked through. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.


Lemon-Scented Broccoli Soufflé
Adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 pound broccoli, finely chopped
1/3 cup all purpose flour {or, to make gluten free, use rice flour}
1 1/2 cups milk {I used 2 %}
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs - separated, plus 3 extra egg whites {6 eggs total}
1 garlic clove, grated or minced

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a soufflé dish by coating in non-stick cooking spray.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add chopped broccoli, cooking for about 4 minutes or until tender. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

3. Whisk flour and milk together in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Cook for about a minute or two until slightly thickened.

4. Reduce heat and add yogurt, lemon zest, salt, 3 egg yolks, garlic, and whisk until fully combined. Stir in broccoli and and set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, beat 6 egg whites to stiff peaks with a hand mixer.

6. Scoop about 1/3 of stiff egg whites into broccoli mixture, and carefully fold in without deflating egg whites. Add remaining egg whites and fold together until incorporated and fluffy.

7. Pour into prepared baking dish, smoothing top.

8. Bake for about 40 minutes until risen and slightly golden on top. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Bourbon Cream Sauce

When you've been in a relationship with the same person for a while, gift giving can get a little tricky. Mostly because you sort of run out of things that your significant other needs or wants {or, you know, you run out of space to put things!}, and also because if your finances are combined, you're basically buying them things with their own money.

After 8 years of being together, my husband and I have stopped giving "stuff" and tend to go for more "experiential" type gifts - a dinner somewhere we don't usually go, a trip to a place we've been wanting to check out, a date to a fun event, etc. Basically, something we can do and enjoy together, which is much more fun than "stuff" any day.

It just so happens that Steve and I have birthdays that are just days apart... and during the span of 8 days every September, we have a handful of other friends and family members who also celebrate their birthdays. It's a little crazy, to say the least, and my stomach hurts just thinking about all the birthday cake that is consumed during that period of time.

{Needless to say, I think we will be very aware of the month in which we attempt to start a family one day... no more September babies, please!}

When it comes to men, they say "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." And I can't say I've ever seen an example that disproved that theory.

So, when my hubby turned 30 a few days ago, instead of running out to buy him new sports gear, clothes, exercise related items, things that will end up in the closet or garage, etc... I decided to go the gastronomical route instead.

We had a lovely evening in {his birthday fell on a Tuesday}, watched his favorite movie {Gladiator}, and enjoyed a special dinner made just for him. Oh, and the "beer cake" didn't hurt, either.

If you've ever attempted to make your own gnocchi, you know it's a labor of love. And gluten free gnocchi, I've found, is even trickier because the dough doesn't have the binding benefit of wheat flour's gluten to help it stick to itself. In short, it's a royal pain.

But for my sweet hubby's birthday? I'd stand in the kitchen for hours, hand shaping stubborn little pieces of dough that don't want to hold their shape. If that's not love, I don't know what is. ;)

This Gluten Free version of Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Bourbon Cream sauce is adapted from a recipe I found over on Foodista. It's not terribly difficult, exactly, but it is time consuming, so I recommend trying it out on a day that you don't have too many plans {especially if it's your first gnocchi attempt}, and not doing what I did. {i.e. Make them on a busy day, resulting in you running around looking like an episode of Chopped.}

I found that the gluten free flour made them a little gummier than I'd have liked, but the husband ate them happily, so I got over it. :)

You can definitely make these with regular flour and you'll probably have a better result.

So, yes, my husband was thrilled with his birthday gift. But you know what? In the end, every birthday we get to celebrate together is a gift in itself.

{Gluten Free} Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Bourbon Cream Sauce
adapted from Foodista

1 small butternut squash, about 1 lb., {roasted, boiled, or microwaved until tender} scooped from flesh

½ cup Parmesan cheese

a pinch of nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 eggs

2 cups flour {plus extra for assembly} - I used rice flour to make it GF, but you can use all purpose

3 tablespoons. butter

2 tablespoons. flour - gluten free or all purpose

2 shallots, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, grated

1 to 1/2 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons bourbon

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

Parsley for garnish, optional

 

Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

 

Make Gnocchi:

 

Place cooked butternut squash pulp in a large food processor or blender. Process until mostly smooth. Add Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and eggs and blend until fully combined and smooth.

 

Pour squash mixture into a large bowl and add the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until flour is incorporated and a wet dough forms. {If the dough is too soft to handle, add a little more flour, just be careful not to add too much or the gnocchi will not turn out light.}

 

Sprinkle a clean counter top or the surface of a large cutting board with flour. Scoop out about 1 cup of dough onto board. With floured hands, lightly roll the dough into a long rope shape. {This is the part where things can get messy if your dough is too wet, but have no fear, it will come together... just be gentle. If it doesn't, incorporate a little more flour a tablespoon at a time until it is able to be rolled.}

 

With your fingers or a knife cut about 1 inch segments from dough. Using the tines of a fork, roll each segment of dough to create the gnocchi's little ridges. Place each gnocchi on a sheet pan. Continue until desired amount of gnocchi is made.

 

For Sauce:

 

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, and saute until tender and fragrant. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over shallots and whisk until a paste forms. Slowly {and carefully... you may want to remove from flame just in case} whisk in bourbon. Add chicken stock, whisking constantly, making sure there are no lumps from the flour. Turn up the heat to medium-high and simmer until slightly thickened. {Like a thinned gravy. If it gets too thick, add a little more stock or water.} Turn heat down to medium-low and whisk in heavy cream. Simmer and keep warm.

 

Cooking Gnocchi:

 

Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water over high heat. Bring to a rolling boil, then decrease heat so water is not boiling so violently. Drop half of gnocchi into water carefully. Cook until they begin to float to the top, about 4-5 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place directly into pan with sauce, if desired, or plate them and spoon sauce on top. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.

 

Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

 

Serve hot.