Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Warm, creamy, happy risotto.

I have been experimenting with risotto lately--'tis the season for such transitional fare--with fairly good success. My favorite has been the butternut squash risotto that we made last week. Since I am not one to measure anything, I will explain what I can, but the rest is up to you and your cookbooks.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Slice and gut one squash, spread with olive oil and roast until roasty/carmelized on top. This will take (blank) time. I dunno--35-45 minutes maybe... I did it while I was making dinner one night, and then used it another evening for the risotto.

Saute onions, garlic, and arborio rice for about 5-10 minutes, until the onions begin to carmelize and the rice becomes more transparent.

Add pinenuts (or omit), and about one cup broth. I believe I used a combination of chicken and vegetable broth. Let the broth cook down, and make sure you are stirring it frequently--at least every 30 seconds or so.

The key to risotto is to add a little broth and stir, and add more only when the broth has mostly been cooked in. Patience is required, but it is not hard work, and is great fun to do when you are talking with someone, or listening to a book on tape (or if your kitchen is big enough, plopping yourself into a chair while reading a book and stirring at the same time.. I have kitchen envy.)

Then I recall adding the squash and some fresh rosemary. I think there was some half hearted attempt to cut the squash which quickly turned into squishing the squash into the risotto.

Keep adding broth, or water if it is getting too salty, and reading/talking until the rice is lovely and al dente.

Gluten-free, dairy free, but somehow creamy-delicious as though it had 8 oz. of parmesan cheese in it. Also good stuffed and baked into bell pepper shells.

Did I miss anything? Probably, but when you make your own risotto it will be even better than mine was!

Bre's Booties

Pattern from Heidi.

Meme

Challenge from Heidi:

Referred to as a meme this is like a 21st century version of a chain letter except we're not exchanging $$ or recipes or even good wishes for luck but rather we're giving our community a chance for a glimpse of what inspires, interests, or edifies.

The Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences (sentences 6-9).
5. Tag five people who blog posts you read on a regular basis.

Mine:

'"But I have my eye on Lincolnshire; I am told that the pigs in Lincolnshire are particularly fine and by eating them the population grows very stout and strong. Now what would suit me best would be a general spell cast over Lincolnshire so that three or four thousand young men would all at once be filled with a lively desire to become soldiers and fight the French." He looked at Sir Walter rather wistfully.'

--Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clark

I don't have anyone but Heidi whose blog I read regularly. Maybe someone will come forth and join. I would still love for whomever reads this to send me their meme!

IJO's knits

My upcoming niece's birth means there is much to do:









Plus, all of the patterns from her great-grandma's collection! Between all of the Ohlsen's, this little girl will never be cold..

I LOVE NPR.

BootiesxBooties%BootiesxBootiesxBooties˚=Booties

I am having a go at my Aunt Heidi's baby bootie pattern. It is going very nicely. It seems, however, that I am of an age where my baby bootie knitting days will never be at an end. Let's see...If one skein of yarn makes two pairs, and most of my friends know each other, what is the most cost effective way to make presents in different colors and how frequently can I present them?

O.K.: if green is x, and yellow is y, than pink can only be used on every blue moon if the baby is in the 3rd trimester. Higher math may be necessary. Robert, HELP!

Kim Chi Goodness!

I was first introduced to Kim Chi in college by my roommate Matt. He had spent his LDS "mission" in South Korea, and shared his love for the cuisine with me. JD and I are fond of the classic cabbage version, but we have tried them all. Thank you, Uwaujimaya!

Our latest favorite is scrambling it with eggs for breakfast. We recently found a new brand, Island Spring, that also makes delicious organic tofu. We have yet to make our own, but I am reminded that I still have not planted my garden, and certainly fermenting cabbage would keep out maurading raccoons, cats, and dogs. Unfortunately, I don't think it will do anything about the slugs...

Board Games for Winos

JD and I had a lovely evening last night with friends Lori and Genyk at their house in West Seattle. We were served an amazing Cauliflower Red Lentil Curry, with some sauteed spinach and garlic. WE brought the wine. Three bottles of Beaujolais, in fact. Three bottles of different Beaujolais from several vintners with the intention of playing our new favorite game: Winerd.

At last! Someone has finally gotten wise to the existing phenomenon of drinking while playing board games, and created a game where you drink wine BECAUSE the board game rules tell you to!

Of course, along the way you may have to answer trivia on how wine is made, what distinguishes varietals from each other, and when it is cool to drive drunk (an actual question.) I learned that blind taste testing is much harder than I thought, and that not spitting it out really does affect your ability to function the next day. Again.

I also came away with a much healthier appreciation for Beaujolais. I might need to have another go at French wines...

Ezra Skye's sweater

SUSHI-YA!

We have mastered the art of sushi with the help of a luscious little site: www.makemysushi.com.

And when I say "mastered," you will know precisely what I mean: Our sushi was cylindrical before it was sliced and had most of the ingredients centered within the rice and nori.

It also had ahi, mango, avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, and chili mayo! And then we tried inside-out roll with the rice on the outside. And then, no nori, but rice, mango, and plenty of cinnamon and sugar. Umm-hmm. Figure that one out! Of course, it was so exquisite that we didn't have time to take pictures before it was all in our BELLIES!

Well, we did get this one:

A humble beginning, I know, but we have just begun!!

When you go to makemysushi.com, go to Sushi University and you will get the basics for assembly. Make sure you also check out the short film on the home page!