Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto.

As you can see I have an immense love for pumpkin. I have always enjoyed the taste of pumpkin, but it really intensified since I've moved up north. It must be the cooler weather or maybe the gorgeous colors of fall. Whatever it is, it makes me crave the hearty flavors of the season.


On Halloween, before going out, I wanted to make a festive dish to celebrate one of my favorite holidays. Pumpkin seemed like an appropriate halloween ingredient, as I'm looking through recipes, it was my boyfriend Nick who had the idea of a risotto dish. 


Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto


Ingredients:

• 5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed small
• 1 1/2 canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh sage, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of pecorino romano cheese
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoon olive oil

Heat oven to 400

Combine rice, broth, and squash, pumpkin puree, and onion in a 3 quart baking dish.

Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, stir to combine evenly.

Cover tightly with foil and bake, stir occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is puffed. About 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir in the sage, pecorino, and mascarpone.

Serve with your favorite pumpkin beer!

Hope Everyone had a great Halloween!!

Stuffed Acorn Squash.

Fall is the best. Best weather, best clothes and best food! Since fall is my favorite season I will be posting a ton of fall inspired dishes. I picked up an acorn squash at the store the other day and told myself I wasn't going to do the same boring thing with it.. so I stuffed it with a few of my favorite fall spices!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 cup of barley
• 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms chopped
• 1/2 white onion chopped
• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock (low sodium is fine)
• about 6 sage leaves
• 1 clove of garlic chopped
• cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Slice the squash down the center and lay face down on lightly greased pan and bake for 25 minutes

-Meanwhile follow instructions and prepare the barley.
-In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic, when hot add the onion and saute until brown, add in the mushrooms- brown for about 5 minutes.
-Mix in the barley, stock, sage leaves, season with salt, pepper and a dash of cinnamon. Cover and let simmer until the liquid has dissolved (5-10 minutes)
- Fill the squash with the mixture, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Enjoy the taste of fall.