Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

Being well nourished means eating very well and leveraging what is in season in the most delicious ways. Butternut squash is such a heavenly vegetable and this recipe perfectly represents its versatility. We warn you that this recipe is not low in fat, but it is full of whole, fresh ingredients. You can omit the pancetta for a vegetarian option. The depth of flavor is remarkable when you add it though. Risotto takes a fair amount of time and attention but is worth every minute of the wait. And yes, this is another Ina Garten masterpiece.

1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine (use your favorite Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Recipes that can be used in multiple ways are always a treat. During the holidays, a fantastic accompaniment are roasted winter vegetables, and they are extremely easy to prepare. The leftover vegetables are even better when used as the base for a delicious soup. Flavors this good can only come from the master, Ina Garten! The small substitution we make is to use 1 large onion in lieu for 1 lb of carrots. Carrots would make it more sweet while the onion is more savory.

Soup Ingredients:
3 to 4 cups vegetable stock (homemade is best)
1 quart Roasted Winter Vegetables, recipe follows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped flat leaf parsley (for garnish)

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat 3 cups of chicken stock. In 2 batches, coarsely puree the roasted vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pour the soup back into the pot and season, to taste. Thin with more chicken stock and reheat. The soup should be thick but not like a vegetable puree, so add more chicken stock and/or water until it's the consistency you like.
Garnish with parsley.

Roasted Winter Vegetables:
1 large onion, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the onion, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1- to 1 1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.

Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Irish Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce

Here is a special holiday dessert that has won many raves by friends and family. Serve it with espresso or a traditional cup of earl grey and enjoy! It is adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Bread Pudding
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10-ounce) French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Caramel Whiskey Sauce
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup light butter
2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

Caramel Whiskey Sauce Preparation
Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be hot and bubble vigorously). Cool slightly, and stir in whiskey and milk.
Note: Substitute 1 tablespoon imitation rum extract and 3 tablespoons water for the Irish whiskey, if desired.

Bread Pudding Preparation
Brush melted butter on one side of French bread slices, and place bread, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake bread at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes, and set aside.

Combine 1% milk and next 4 ingredients (1% milk through eggs) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread cubes and whiskey, pressing gently to moisten; let stand 15 minutes. Spoon bread mixture into a buttered 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pudding. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce.
Note: Substitute 1/4 cup apple juice for the Irish whiskey, if desired.

Pumpkin Cake

Fall is such a wonderful time of the year. It is when we most enjoy baking. Here is a fantastic pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting that you'll want to make for a crowd. If you don't have a crowd coming, be warned that the smell will constantly entice you and it will be impossible not eat it all yourself! What an extraordinary way to reap the benefits of beta-carotene, Vitamin A and potassium! It comes from the Food Network.

Cake:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can Farmers Market organic pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.