Vanilla Butternut Squash Risotto

Isn't waiting so much fun?  Last school year I completed the National Board Certification for Teachers process.  Portfolio with essays, videos, achievements and a test.  All of it was finished by April 10.  Since then I have been waiting for the results.  Last week, I got an email that the results would be in November 18th and was soo excited.  That day I got to work, opened the website with my adrenaline rushing, to find that the server had shut down.  From 8 - 12 my friend and I must have hit the refresh button 100 times or more trying to see if the scores were posted.  Then I got an email saying wait until 4:00 pm.  Since then, every 4 - 5 hours, there is an update on the site saying that Pearson (why do they have their hands in everything?) is still working on bringing the site on line.  Argg!!!  For me, the process was not that hard, which surprised the other NBCT at my school since they all took classes to help prepare.  However, I have been in school for at least 10 years now, writing and reflecting on my teaching, so this was nothing different.  However, I am worried because I have heard that grading is very subjective, and I just don't know how I could have done any better?  Retaking a section of the portfolio or the test costs around $300 so I really need to pass the first time.


In the midst of waiting, comes Thanksgiving.  I have been so busy preparing professional development sessions for work, organizing our school wide data management tool, and getting ready to teach my students I haven't really had any time to find and rehearse any new recipes.  For the side dish, it is a toss up between my sweet potato risotto, which everyone liked last year, and this dish.  For my vegetarian mom I am going to make toasted quinoa with blistered tomatoes, spinach and walnuts because she can't eat white rice because of osteoporosis.  Then, I'm making a new cranberry sauce recipe.  At first I was going to make Spiced Tea Cranberries but as my mom pointed out, some people really hate tea.  So, I am going to go instead with Maple Orange Cranberry Sauce.   


When we went to Michigan over Labor Day, we stopped at a few different farmers markets and found butternut squash super cheap!  Its so nice how squash lasts and last week I finally used it to make a butternut squash risotto.  I wanted to make it differently than my sweet potato risotto, so I found this unique recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.  

To cut and dice a butternut squash, first cut off the top and bottom of the squash.  Then cut in half.  I found it easiest to cut off the peel, even though some people say you could use a peeler (hasn't worked for me yet).

Vanilla Butternut Squash Risotto

Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients
4+ cups of vegetable broth
1 vanilla bean
1 small butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (optional)


In a pot, warm the broth on medium heat.  Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise.  Scrape out the seeds and add them and the bean to the broth.  When it begins to simmer, turn heat to low.   Add butternut squash and continue to cook for around 5 minutes until soft.  Using a slotted spoon, take the butternut squash out and put to the side.  Continue to simmer broth on low.  


In another pot, heat olive oil on medium.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Stir in rice and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add in white wine and stir until soaked in. Then add in 1/2 cup of broth.  Cook and stir until liquid is absorbed.  Continue adding in broth 1/2 cup at a time, when the rice has soaked in the previous additions, and stop when the rice is just tender. You may have to add more broth to the pot.  Take out the vanilla bean and take off of stove.  Add in butternut squash and salt and pepper to taste.  Add parmesan if you would like and serve! 

GF Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna

Well it is the day before Christmas Eve and I spent 7 hours cooking... even though I didn't have to. I made 4 different types of chocolate bark to take to 4 different Christmas parties that we have in the next two days. Then I made my wild rice with carmelized onions and cranberries for my Aunt's Christmas Eve Party tomorrow. Finally I made stuffed apples, curried swiss chard and a vegetarian tamale pie for my parents' Christmas tomorrow.

I just finished and was going to try to go swimming but collapsed instead. So now I'm eating my pho (from Bon Bon, its good!) and relaxing in front of the TV with a cat on my arm (who looks so funny because I shaved him last week). It feels nice to relax with the crazy week that I have had. On Saturday night my husband was in what could have been a fatal accident. Luckily my husband swerved (quick reaction which he attributes to playing video games) and the man only took out the left side of the car. My husband has a lot pain, but luckily nothing life threatening. I've spent the last 5 days driving him everywhere and taking care of him but tonight one of our friends is back from the Navy and he took him to dinner, so I get some time off. Back to craziness tomorrow.

I made this lasagna as a combination of different recipes. I wanted to make something different and haven't made lasagna before. I thought it would be fun but instead was a learning experience. I am not a fan of cheese so I only used a small amount of parmesan and mozzarella cheese. However, I'll put in what "normal" people would use for cheese in the recipe.

Gluten Free Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (1 1/2 - 2 pounds)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp of dried sage

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 Tbs brown sugar

15 oz ricotta cheese

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

2 Tbs of water

A box of gluten free rice lasagna noodles

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a knife and prick a few holes in the squash. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until soft. While your squash is roasting, cook your GF noodles according to specifications on the box.

After the squash has roasted and is cool enough to touch, remove the fibers and seeds and peel off the skin. Place the squash meat into a food processor and process until pureed. Mix in the sage, 1/2 tsp of black pepper, 1 tsp of salt and the brown sugar.

Mix the ricotta, 1/4 cup of parmesan, 1/2 tsp of black pepper and 1 tsp of salt together in a different bowl.

Spray a 9 x 5 baking dish with cooking spray and put 2 Tbs of water at the bottom of the dish. Then place a layer of noodles at the bottom of the dish, overlapping slightly. Spread 1/2 of the squash mixture over the noodles and then 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Then repeat with noodles, squash, cheese, and noodles. Sprinkle the top noodle layer with 1/4 cups of parmesan cheese.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 - 15 minutes until the cheese begins to golden on top.