.Recipe of the week.

Yes! The weather seems to have complied with my wishes and summer seems to be in it's death throes while autumn is finally knockin' at my door. Victory!
We had a blustery weekend which I totally loved. Saturday was the Race for the Cure and I had planned on Amelia going with me but it was a bit too chilly so I went ahead and did it alone. I actually always do it alone because I get overwhelmed by the emotions and energy from the massive crowds and stories so it was perfectly fine that we had to skip Amelia joining me this year. On a sort of sad note, because of the weather we had to skip the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest. Since it's one of the things that I look most forward to all year we made up for it with a super cozy night in. I made a batch of Martha's clam chowder and after the tot went to bed I made some oatmeal butterscotch cookies while Cheyenne made some Spanish coffees then we cuddled up with a Mad Men marathon. The perfect fall evening. I like to wait until the autumnal equinox to build the first fire in the fireplace of the year but that's only a few days away! Woo hoo! However, a look at the forecast has me thinking that I might put that off another week...

In related news, since it's cooled down some I finally feel up to sharing some more fall-inspired recipes{the very best kind}. Something warm and easy that sticks to the ribs and uses my favorite ingredient of the season {winter squashes} sounds like the perfect thing to kick things off with. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

7 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Tbs. minced fresh sage

6 cups chicken stock

*2 cups butternut squash puree

2 Tbs. olive oil

2/3 cup caramelized onions

2 cups Arborio rice

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

* I roast a butternut squash with olive oil and a little salt and pepper or brown sugar and butter at least once a week for lunch for Amelia & I in the cold months because it's delicious and full of fiber and vitamin A. From this roasting I get the 2 tablespoons of puree needed. If you don't want to roast a whole squash you can find whatcha need at the farmers markets and some grocery stores {Trader Joes, New Seasons, Whole Foods, Food Front, and Zupans are the first the come to mind}.

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbs. of the butter. Add 1 Tbs. of the sage and heat until the butter browns. Strain the butter into a small bowl and discard the sage. Cover the bowl to keep the butter warm.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the stock and squash puree. Bring just to a simmer, 8 to 10 minutes; maintain over low heat.

3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the caramelized onions and rice and stir until the grains are well coated with the oil and are nearly translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbs. sage and the rosemary. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed.

4. Add the simmering stock mixture a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more.

5. When the rice is tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 30 minutes, stir in the remaining 3 Tbs. butter, the cheese, salt and pepper. Add more stock if needed so the rice is thick and creamy. Let stand for 2 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sage butter and serve immediately.