Butternut squash and kale risotto

This recipe was requested on facebook and by the mother in law, so you all benefit. 

My mouth is even watering even though I am eating it as I write this.. 

yeah that good.

So lets back up a couple weeks we went to a newish restaurant in our area called Big Grove Tavern that serves local good food. I had the butternut squash risotto. 

So I decided to try to recreate it.. 

(Disclosure: I don't usually write recipes so please forgive me if I miss something, also I recreated this so I don't have exact amounts/most things are approximations, use your best judgement .. sorry)

Small cubed butternut squash

1/2 c. brown sugar

Extra virgin olive oil

maple bacon

kale 

risotto

2 tsp. unsalted butter

1 chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic

4 c. (one container) chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 c. of heavy cream

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese 

Walnuts (my cheap version for pine nuts)

So, first start with the squash (it takes the longest)

Preheat oven to 450

Chop up your squash in 1/4in cubes

put in a pyrex

coat with olive oil and add brown sugar

Cook for 25-30 mins or when soft

While your squash is in oven start the risotto

Put broth in saucepan on med to low heat

In a larger pot, melt your butter

add onions and garlic until fragrant

Add your risotto to your onions and garlic, coat with butter

(if you have never made risotto before, you want to keep it moist and stir continuously)

Add scoops (I do a 1/4- 1/2 c. at a time) of broth to your risotto

continue til your risotto is soft with a bite or your run out of broth

While your risotto is cooking add olive oil to frying pan 

add kale, use a lid and cook down to bright green and spinach looking

Once your risotto is done..

This is where I add the cream, cheese, walnuts, squash and cooked kale

Stir up and serve warm

I hope your enjoy and if you have any questions please let me know.

I am linking up this week here

soup

The simple creamy sometimes brothy mixture that warms the soul, yeah thats what I am talking about.

I use to HATE soup, like I wouldn't even eat it even if I couldn't eat anything else. 

Well, recently with the cooler temps, moving here and pinterent inspiration I have come to LOVE soup.

There is just something wonderful about soup on a cold rainy day.

One of my favorite recipes, which I probably make once a week now, is this one found originally on pinterest

Tomato-basil soup at its finest.

Doesn't it just look amazing.

Whats your favorite food for fall right now?

Go-To: french toast

I follow Jo at A Cup of Jo she a series that she puts on almost weekly called the best of a food that you;ll ever have.

I found this french toast recipe and it is AMAZING!

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You really should go check it out

 Do you have any go-to/ favorite recipes?

Go to: Best cheescake.. hands down

Cheesecake use to scare me, lets be honest its a little intimidating with its spiffy pan and weird cooling and ehating directions and tub of water.. yeah very complicated.. WELL ITS NOT!

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For people that know me, know that I LOVE DESSERT.

(Not just a I like dessert and eat it every once in awhile and could do without, I NEED dessert and crave it daily, yeah I am that type of person)

I can not find the exact recipe I used, but this one is double what I did for the cake portion and crust is the same..

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Below is my adjusted receipe:

Cake

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 (16 ounce) containers sour cream
1 teaspoons vanilla

Crust

2 packages of crushed grahm crackers
2 teaspoons softened butter
2 teaspoons sugar

- Warm oven to 315 degrees.

- In a bowl mix grahmn crackers, butter and sugar together. In a greased (I used butter) spring form pan evenly place this mixture on the bottom and around the sides and place in the refrigerator to set while mixing the cake portion.
- Mix cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Once smooth add sugar and vanilla. Add sour cream last and mix until smooth. Do not over beat cream cheese it will get fluffy (you dont want fluffy)
- Put into cooled grahmn craker crust.
- I cooked mine for 55 minutes or until middle is no longer jiggly (side usually crack too).
- Let rest on cooling rack for 30-45, than place in refrigerator for 6 hours before serving.

(please excuse my horrible picture, my last slice got squished from the tupperware in my lunch.. oops. It lookedreally pretty before hand)

All done! That wasn't hard, now was it?

 

the incredible edible egg

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In what seems like forever ago, I found how to make the best friend egg sandwhich on Pinterest

Here is the same article but on the Hufington Post instead

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/small-kitchen-college/how-to-evolve-your-egg-sandwich_b_1386723.html

 

It goes through the qualities that makes the perfect egg sandwhich such as bread, how to fry your egg, and toppings to put on it, etc.

Well I took this in my hands and have been playing with it for a few months.

I think I have found it..
MY PERFECT EGG SANDWHICH

- Strawberry jam

- Bread (I prefer fresh from the bakey but its sometimes hard to find here) toasted

- Egg with cheddar cheese

- Alphapha sprouts

- Avocado

yum! What is your favorite egg sandwhich?

Go-To: chip dips

So, for a party I have 2 dips I go to and are always a crowd pleaser

1. Chili dip (2 ingredients)

- chili ( I usually get it wih beans and vegetarian to be safe with our friends that don't eat meat)

- cream cheese (I usually get low fat)

Heat in a saucepan

Until cream cheese melts.. and THATS IT!!

easy, right?

2. Corn Salsa

- 1 can of sweet whole kernel corn

- onion

-cilantro

-jalapeno

Chop everything up and drain corn and mix

Ta-DA! done.

I had them as sides with a burger and they were delicious.

What are your go-to dips?

Try it Tuesday: White Cheddar mac & cheese

So who doesn't like mac & cheese? Well, frankly I LOVE it.

I actually love all pasta, add cheese and I am in heaven.

I found this receipe on pinterest and had to try it.

I had most of the incredients already so I just used what I had.

I didn't use velveta ( I don't care for the stuff)

Instead, I used goat cheese, mozzerella and sharp cheddar cheeses

I also used whole grain pasta and didn't need to add the broth/wine

The end product was amazing and wonderful.

You have to try this recipe

Try it Tuesday: Bacon, Beer & Cheese Risotto

These weeks have been flying by.

Last week during my cooking phase (it comes in phases)

So yuou should know, risotta is one of my warm and fuzzy comfort foods.

I love risotta, its creamy and fulfilling and carb loaded; what's not to love abotu it.

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I found this recipe on pinterest and had to try it

I mean really can you resist those ingredients?

I couldn't.

Would you make this receipe again? YES

I loved it, but i would add more bacon and less broth. I thought with the beer and the broth it was almost soupy. I also thought it might need more flavor.

Do you like risotta?

What have you tried this week?

Go-to: banana bread

Do you have a got to recipe?

This is a recipe that my friend sent to me and now is a monthly  go to.

The Recipe comes from none other than Martha Stewart

Found here

(You see a theme this week, Martha and Food, oh yea!)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.
   
   
   What is your go-to banana bread recipe?

New Recipe: Week #9

I found this recipe on pinterest

I think its been on my food board for quite some time

I changed it (of course)

I added all the cheeses I had

blue cheese, gouda, mexican mix, and sharp cheddar

yumm.. cheese

I also made a rouge 

(just using butter til melted, add flour than adding milk and flour until you reach wanted consistency)

I also added fajita chicken

baked for 10-15 mins at 400 degrees and done

I also pinned this recipe for brownie batter dip
THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS.. FYI

I halved the recipe because it can be dangerous and added 1/2 cup of chocolate chips too.
yummy!

What have you tried this week?

Creamer.. part 2

If you remember, I posted about making my own creamer here

I wasn't a big fan of it and I thought it tated more like watered down milk

Well... take two to find a more healthier homemade version of french vanilla cream

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I found a recipe online with 3 ingrients.. Awsome.

1. Milk

2. Sweetened condensed milk

3. Real Vanilla Extract

Shake or stir and THAT'S IT!!

I use the same container and usually fill it 2/3 of the way with 2% milk and add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla and stir it.

It normally lasts me a week and i prefer it over the first one and I think it might be healthier (maybe), but tastes just like the original french vanilla creamers.

Are you making anythign from scratch these days?

New Recipe.. Week #8

This is #7 of 10 in 10.. eek. 

Almost there I can taste it.

(I know you dont care but I never finish anything)

This week recipe is inspired by one of the things I miss about California

It is of course a food item

That item is from a restaurant called BJs

See I told you I loved Chicago before i knew it was meant to be

They have an item called a pazooki

which is a cookie baked in a small (depends what size you get) pizza pan and served warm out of the oven with ice cream..

It is ooey gooey love

Well, I was inspired. My favorite is oatmeal rasin

I found this recipe on pinterest, halved it and cooked it in a 6 in spring form pan.

I greased the pan with butter and it worked out well.

I cut into to slices (to not over indulge) and served with ice cream..

delicious.

What have you tried this week?

This Post will be linking up this week.. for a list see above

New Recipe.. week#7

P left on Thursday morning to go to his interview which I wrote about here

This is my 10 projects on 10 days series..

I challenge you to do 10 projects in 10 days

It can be anything diy or recipes.. etc

On day 1 of him leaving I made pancakes, yup. From scratch.. so good. 

I found this  recipe on pinterest and made breakfast for dinner, my favorite.

The came out so delicious, not to sweet or savory

end result.. yum

Have you tried any new recipes lately?

Would you like coffee with that cream?

Ok.. I don't put that much cream in my coffee everyday, but i do put it in.

I usually use coffeemate or the silk brand in vanilla.

Well, have you ever spilt that in your car or fridge?

IT IS NASTY!!

can you only imagine what it is doing to your body?

Well, P loves when things are fresh minimal ingredients and not nasty looking.

So, I jumped on a limp and found this recipe for French Vanilla Creamer

Verdict:
Pretty good and will make again, because it took no effort at all.
I do think that it can be a little sweeter and i am not sure if it is because i used 2% milk, pecan syrup, and vanilla extract.
Not sure if that makes a difference but would love to make it a tad bit sweeter next time.

This mornings breakfast (at 130p) after my 12.3 mile run.

One side peanut butter and bananas and the other cream cheese and apricot preserves.

yum yum..

are you a coffee drinker, do you like cream? try these recipes.