Pumpkin Risotto

Am I the only one who's been hoarding cans of pumpkin? I grab at least two cans every time I see in the store, which truthfully isn't as often as you'd think.

Last week I noticed my supply was starting to get a little out of control, and I knew just what I wanted to do with it.

Make pumpkin risotto, of course.

I found this recipe in the Columbus Dispatch, the local paper, eons ago. In fact, I can't even find it online anymore. I can't even remember if it's something original to them or from a syndicated story. All I know is that it's one of my favorite risotto recipes that I make over and over again.

Pumpkin risotto was one of the first times I've ever used canned pumpkin in a savory dish, and I've been hooked ever since.

What I love most about this recipe — and how it differs from other pumpkin risotto recipes I've seen — is that it uses pumpkin puree rather than chunks of fresh pumpkin.

The puree helps the risotto stay super creamy, which allows you to cut back on cheese and butter if you so choose. The recipe isn't necessarily a light one, but it can easily be made into one.

I usually use half the oil, leave out the butter and go a little lighter on the cheese. But this time I went all out. Maybe it' s cooler (again) temps or the insane tiredness I'm feeling after my cat woke me up at 4:30 a.m. I was craving something just a bit richer.

It didn't disappoint.



Pumpkin Risotto
Adapted from the Columbus Dispatch

4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Put the broth in a small saucepan bring to a simmer, then knock the heat back to medium low to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened — about 6 minutes.

Add the rice, stirring to coat with the oil. Bump the heat up to medium high and add the wine. Stir constantly until the wine is absorbed.

Then, add broth 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring constantly and adding more broth as it's absorbed. Once the rice has absorbed all the broth, reduce the heat to medium low and check the rice's texture. It should be firm, but cooked through. If the rice isn't done, add more broth 1/2 cup at time until it reaches the desired texture. It usually takes me about 15 to 20 minutes from the time I begin adding the broth.

Then, stir in the pumpkin, ginger, cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Then, stir in butter and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Paella

Happy Monday! Ha! Is there such a thing?

My Monday is packed with meetings. I started writing out my to-do list for this week on Friday.. and it didn't look promising. Gah.

Good thing fit in plenty of rest, relaxation and cooking in this past weekend!

This Shrimp Paella was on the menu Friday and holy wow. Delicious.

The original recipe came from Bon Appetit several years ago. I clipped the recipe and filed it away and forgot about it. A few weeks ago, I found the clip while cleaning up around the apartment and I'm glad I did.

I can't say whether or not this is authentic. It's not that far off from the version I usually make, but I think I like this better.

The nutritional information included with the recipe says it's 503 calories. While I didn't figure what my version came to, it has to be a bit leaner.

For one, I cut back on the rice. I'd rather have less rice and add a side veggie or salad. And, the chorizo I used is actually pretty lean (about 130 calories and 6 grams of fat per link). I also used less than because it's so full of flavor.

Shrimp Paella
Serves 4
Adapted from Bon Appetit

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces (2 links) spanish-style chorizo
2 cups onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika is fine)
2 1/4 (or more) low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup arborio rice
1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup green olives

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo through bell pepper and saute until golden brown - about 8 minutes.

Add the saffron, paprika and 2 cups of the broth and rice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is just about cooked -- 15 minutes.

Nestle the shrimp in the rice, add the olives, and 1/4 (or more) broth just to moisten. Cover and cook until shrimp is opaque in the center - 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Rerun: Beet Risotto

I visited the farmers' market yesterday at lunch and bought these beets. They're not the softball-sized ones I can find at the store, but these were smaller and even a little sweeter. They're one of my favorite farmers market finds. I buy them every year at least once.

The best part? They smelled like earth. You don't get the fresh from the ground smell from the supermarket.

I grew up eating canned beets but fresh are best. I used a few of them in Beet Risotto last night for dinner. If you think you don't like beets, you might try them in risotto. Everything is better with rice.



See the original post for more on beet risotto.

What's your favorite summer produce?

Turkey-Sausage Paella

I first wrote about this Turkey-Sausage Paella about a year ago, but I made it again tonight. I'm writing about it mostly because I think I've got my lighting solution solved for the most part. It still needs some tweaking, but overall I think it's vastly improved.

I've built my own light studio out of a box and some fabric. I used this tutorial. My lamps are hodge-podge, but I'm going to salvage old lamps at my parents tomorrow.

I'd still love to get a digital SLR, but for now, this will do. What do you think?

Andouille with Rice and Beans

This afternoon I suddenly remembered I forgot to put something out for dinner. And unfortunately, I didn't have anything else meatless planned for the week. So I ended up throwing something together last minute.

Years ago I made Andouille Rice with White Beans, I don't think I cared for it much, but I knew it had beans, rice, tomatoes, peppers and andouille — all things I have in the fridge and pantry. I ended up changing it a lot. But, it made a huge serving (about 2 cups) for only 7 points. Can't beat that.

Like the chorizo earlier in the week, smoked sausage would be a good substitute.

Andouille with Rice and Beans
Makes 4 servings
1 cup rice
2 cups vegetable broth
1/8 ground red pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 links andouille sausage, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 cup canned Great Northern beans

Add rice, water, thyme, and red pepper in a medium pot and prepare rice according to the package's directions.

Meanwhile, heat a saute pan coated in cooking spray over medium heat. Saute peppers and onions until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add in sausage and cook until heated through and beginning to brown.

Add diced tomatoes, oregano and basil and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until most of the liquid is gone.

When the rice is done, add the cooked rice to the saute pan; add in the beans. Cook until heated through.

Baked Tofu with Fried Rice

I'm exhausted tonight. I still have stuff to finish up, but I'll be in bed early, that's for sure. My sleep schedule is out of whack and it's catching up to me.

Tonight's dinner was Asian-Style Baked Tofu and Fried Rice. Both were fantastic. I could easily eat an entire package of tofu like this in one sitting. Seriously. Mine got a little extra crunchy, but other than that it was beyond delicious. Think you don't like tofu? Try it baked. The recipe takes a bit of time, but it's totally worth it.

While the tofu was baking away in the oven I made some brown rice so I could stir fry it. The past few times I've made it I've liked it but didn't love it, not sure why. No matter what recipe I try, they're all very similar, but this one really stands out for some reason. I think I'll make it this way every time from now on. Instead of baby carrots and peas, I used a frozen carrots and peas mix. I didn't bother boiling them, just thawed and warmed them in the oil before adding the egg. Worked just fine.

And for being "fried" it's only 6 points per serving and if you can keep the tofu to one serving, it's only 3 points. Possibly less if you can find reduced-fat firm. And both are worth every single point.

Red Rice with Chorizo

I heart chorizo. And if you live in my area, it's a little hard to find. Well, I take that back. Finding the Spanish-style is nearly impossible, but the Mexican-style is everywhere.

Mexican-style is uncooked and is in a casing. I've usually seen the casing removed and it browned like you would Italian sausage. The Spanish-style, though, is fully-cooked and more like a kielbasa or other smoked sausage.

The only place I've ever found it is Whole Foods. So when I was buying some grains from the bulk bins this past weekend, I couldn't help but pick up a package.

I usually use it paella, but tonight I decided to try it in Red Rice with Chorizo. This recipe, although not a lighter recipe to start with (honestly, what Rachael Ray recipe is?), but is easily modified.

For one, I cut the oil entirely. Especially if you're using an nonstick saucepan, cooking spray should be fine. The chorizo, like regular smoked sausage lets off a little fat while cooking. The chorizo I bought is fairly lean at 130 calories, 6 grams of fat and 0 grams of fiber per serving (3 points), but it gave off enough fat that I don't think it would stick.

I also cut the amount of rice. I would only use 1 cup for four servings. When you combine the rice, chorizo, corn and black olives, it makes a large serving. And because I cut the rice, I cut the liquid to keep the same ratio. The ratio in the recipe is 2:1, so I used a cup of salsa and a cup of water. The rest I left the same. In the end, I came up with 9 points per serving that ended up being much larger than I expected.

Want to make it lighter? You could use less chorizo or even eat a smaller portion. If you're still wanting to make it leaner, you could use a low-fat smoked sausage instead of chorizo, but I really think the chorizo adds something. And of course, if you can't find chorizo, smoked sausage would make good substitute.

All in all, it's a satisfying meal I'll probably make again.

Garden Risotto

I am so ready for this week to be over. The week has gone by fast enough, but I'm seriously just ready for the weekend.

And because I'm in a comfort food kick, I made Garden Risotto tonight for dinner. I'll eat any vegetable if it's mixed in with creamy rice. I love risotto. It's one of my favorite foods. And this one is only 5 points per 1 cup serving, according to the Recipe Tracker (although the NI says it would be 4 points). If you opt for making the recipe four servings, it's still only 7 points, which is still a good deal, if you ask me.

This one wasn't any particularly special. I think it could have used a bit of butter stirred in at the end. But the asparagus, peas, and spinach made it nurtient rich, that's for sure! It's probably something I'll make again.

The rice doesn't really hide the vegetables, but I think the make them more palatable.

How do you like to "hide" your veggies?