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

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!

(source)

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!

(source)

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..

(source)

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?

 

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?

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?