Butternut Squash Risotto with Spinach and Toasted Pine Nuts

I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Our bowl of risotto was literally licked clean. My 3 year old had 3 helpings and decided that she loves spinach! It was a little bit labor intensive to make and because of the many steps involved, it took me around and hour and 20 minutes from start to finish. However, that would not stop me from making it again (is next week too soon?). I loved the tip at the bottom on how to cut up the butternut squash. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Risotto with Spinach and Toasted Pine Nuts

Recipe & photo from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

2	tablespoons olive oil , plus 1 teaspoon
1	butternut squash (medium, about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded (fibers and seeds reserved), and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
3/4	teaspoon table salt
3/4	teaspoon ground black pepper
4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1	cup water
4	ounces baby spinach
4	tablespoons unsalted butter
2	small onions , chopped very fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2	cups Arborio rice
1 1/2	cups dry white wine
1 1/2	ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
2	tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
1/4	teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4	cup pine nuts , toasted in small, dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add about 3 1/2 cups squash in even layer and cook without stirring until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer squash to bowl and set aside.
2. Return skillet to medium heat; add reserved squash fibers and seeds and any leftover diced squash. Cook, stirring frequently to break up fibers, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to large saucepan and add chicken broth and water; cover saucepan and bring mixture to simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain bare simmer.
3. While broth mixture is simmering, add 1 teaspoon olive oil to now-empty skillet and swirl to coat. Add 4 ounces baby spinach and cook, covered, over medium heat, until leaves begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring constantly, until fully wilted, about 30 seconds. Transfer spinach to mesh strainer; set aside.
4. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add onions, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, strain hot broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Return strained broth to saucepan and discard solids in strainer; cover saucepan and set over low heat to keep broth hot.
6. When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth and half of reserved squash to rice. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.
7. Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 2 or 3 more times, until rice is al dente. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, Parmesan, sage, and nutmeg; drain excess liquid from spinach and gently fold in spinach and remaining cooked squash. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto. Top individual servings of risotto with toasted pine nuts; serve immediately.

Step-by-Step

Dicing Squash

1. After removing skin with peeler, cut squash in half.

2. Cut bulb in half through base and remove seeds with spoon.

3. Cut each piece into 1/2-inch half-moons, then into 1/2-inch dice.

4. Stand neck on end and slice into 1/2-inch planks. Cut planks into 1/2-inch strips, then into 1/2-inch dice.

PS- I don't have a subscription to Cooks Illustrated, but I did sign up to receive emails from America's Test Kitchen (which is part of Cooks Illustrated).

Barley and Bean Soup with Rainbow Chard

Barley and Bean Soup with Rainbow Chard
from Quick Fix Vegetarian

Serves 4

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 c. vegetable broth
3/4 c. quick-cooking pearl barley (I used regular and just cooked it longer before adding other ingredients)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch rainbow chard, leaves halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into thin strips
1 16 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the farlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the barley and salt and pepper to taste. Decrease the heat to low. Add the chard and beans and simmer until the barley is cooked, about 15 minutes.

I like a thicker, chunkier soup, so I also doubled the beans. My kids actually liked this soup, once I picked the chard out of their bowl. It was good and even better with Anna's French Bread recipe.

Thai-Style Chickpeas

Thai-Style Chickpeas

Serves 4 to 6

The sweet potatoes in this authentic curry "melt" to create a thick and luscious sauce. Serve over steamed basmati or jasmine rice. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can substitute canned chickpeas in this recipe and achieve equally satisfying results.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 18 minutes

3 cups "lite" coconut milk
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh or canned (drained) plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1/4 cup minced fresh coriander
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1 to 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Combine chickpeas, coconut milk, garlic, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, curry powder and coriander in a pressure cooker. Lock the lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 18 minutes.

2. Allow the pressure to come down naturally or use a quick-release method. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape. Add the basil and soy sauce to taste as you break up the sweet potatoes and stir to create a thick sauce.

3. To make this recipe without a pressure cooker: Combine 3 cups canned chickpeas, drained, with coconut milk, garlic, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, curry powder and coriander in a saucepan. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender, then stir in basil and soy sauce.

I got this recipe from

http://deliciouslivingmag.com/.
It was easy to make and everyone loved it.

For Anna.

I haven't made this soup yet, but it sounds delicious.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

2007 Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Level: Intermediate

Serves: 4 servings (1 serving is 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 teaspoons plain low-fat yogurt, for garnish

Directions

Heat oil over medium heat in a 6-quart stockpot. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft but not brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the butternut squash, broth, curry powder and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat stir in honey and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.

Ladle into serving bowls and add a dollop of yogurt.

Veggie Tacos & Mexican Rice

I recently had lunch at Red Butte Cafe in Salt Lake City. I love to eat there because there is always something interesting and creative to try. I haven't been back for a few years and was frankly disappointed with the limited vegetarian options. However, I ordered the veggie tacos, not really expecting anything that great. And actually, they were pretty good. I don't know why I never thought of this before (especially since I have a monster, MONSTER zucchini plant in my backyard): zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and onion. Yum! The veggies were sauteed and seasoned perfectly. I was pleasantly surprised. And a week later, I made them at home.
I sauteed some garlic and onions for a few minutes and then I added the carrot sticks. I let them cook for a little while and then added the squash. I cooked them long enough to warm them up, but not overcooked. We topped it with hot sauce and guacamole. The kids just had bean tacos with a sliver of veggies on the side.
I also tried a new Mexican Rice recipe. I have long been on the search to find a good Mexican rice, but to no avail. I ran across the great website Pati's Mexican Table while looking for a recipe to pickle jalapenos. We really liked the rice and it was pretty easy. So, here is the recipe:

Mexican Style Rice (or Arroz Rojo)
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
2 cups long or extra long grain white rice
2 tomatoes, or about 1 pound, quartered
1/3 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
3 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, optional
2 parsley sprigs
3/4 cup carrots, peeled and diced, optional
1/2 cup shelled green peas, fresh of frozen, optional
1 or 2 chiles Serranos, optional

To Prepare
In a bowl, soak the rice in hot water for about 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain very well.

While the rice soaks, purée the tomatoes in the blender along with the onion, garlic and salt. Pass through a strainer and reserve.

Heat the oil in a thick heavy skillet (if you have one with a transparent lid, pick that one) over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the rice and sauté, stirring often, until the color of the rice changes to a strong milky white and it shows more resistance and makes a heavier sound as you stir it around, probably about 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour in the strained tomato purée, mix it gently and let it cook until the color of the purée has darkened, thickened and is mostly absorbed, about 3 more minutes.

Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth and lime juice, give it a gentle stir and top with the parlsey sprig, the diced carrots, peas and serrano chiles, if so desired.

Let it all come to a boil, and when it does, put the cover on and reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes. Here is where that transparent lid becomes so handy, as you can see what is going on inside the pot without losing steam. You know the rice is ready when it is cooked through and tender, most of the liquid has been absorbed, but there is a lot of moisture in the pot. If the rice is not yet tender and the liquid has dried up, add a couple tablespoons more water, cover again and let it cook for a couple more minutes.

Let the rice sit covered for at least 5 minutes before you fluff with a fork and serve. You may also make it beforehand and reheat it covered over low heat with a tablespoon of water.

The last time I made cilantro rice, I put the leftovers in a ziploc and froze it. We thawed it and ate it for dinner last week and it was great! So, I did the same with the leftover mexican rice.

I can't wait to try Pati's Mexican Style Eggs and one of our all time favorite drinks, Horchata.

Buen provecho!

Suggestions Wanted

Lunches. The kids take a lunch to school, and I am running out of ideas. I would love to pack leftovers, but frankly my kids aren't that big of fans of dinner (yet), so mostly I get a resounding "NO" when I ask if they want last nights casserole or pasta. I have broken down and bought turkey (the good kind without all the gunk in it) for sandwiches. And of course they have peanut butter, but they can only eat so much peanut butter before they revolt. I think they have already tired of PBJ and PBH. They take Quesadilla's sometimes. I buy beans and rice from a Mexican deli and they take that sometimes, but they are growing tired of it. It is becoming such a struggle to come up with healthy, good lunch ideas. At today's dr. appointment Lucy had dropped well below normal on weight, which may or may not be a big deal. I can't get her to eat. Sometimes I feel like giving up and letting her eat the crap food she craves. HELP!!!!

Big Food vs. Big Insurance

Here's another Michael Pollan opinion article from the NYTimes. Interesting ideas for the future. Here's to keeping our fingers crossed!

Chef Brad & cooking with grains

This week I was able to attend a couple of days at BYU education week. My top priority class was taught by Brad Petersen who is a chef dedicated to eating healthy and feeding your families according to the Word of Wisdom. I have come home with a wealth of information and can't wait to get into the kitchen! I will keep the post short but you can go to his website to learn more. He offers all his recipes on the website, but unfortunately you have to pay an annual membership to get the full benefit. After listening to him lecture, and attending his cooking demonstrations I personally think it would be a very worthwhile investment. He is an advocate for grains, teaches all about them including their history, nutritional value, how to store and prepare them and all the ways they can be eaten. I was also finally educated on the wheat dilemma of hard red vs. hard white. In short, if you are wondering, buy hard white.

Check him out. www.chefbrad.com

Zucchini Pancakes

This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa at Home, and in my opinion, Ina Garten really never goes wrong. These are not breakfast pancakes--think more like a potato latke. Adam and I both thought that they were pretty tasty, although the kids had to be convinced. I think that the red onion is the key and the last time I made them I tried whole wheat flour instead of white, and I still liked them very much. We ate them with fresh tomato slices and called it dinner!

Zucchini Pancakes
3/4 lb zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated red onion
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 to 8 tablespoons flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
unsalted butter and vegetable oil for brushing skillet

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Grate the zucchini into a bowl using the large grating side of a box grater. Immediately stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper. (If the batter gets to thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the remaining tablespoons of flour.)

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tb butter and 1/2 tb oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place the pancakes on a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil to the pan, and continue to fry pancakes until all the batter is used. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.