Fall Mushroom Risotto!

  Truffled Mushroom Risotto in a Roasted Acorn Squash

                                   adapted from Karin Calloway

The first time I tried truffle was via "truffle oil". It is a beautiful oil that tastes great on popcorn, potato chips and french fries. But, it just won't do for everything. Truffle tapenade is made by blitzing a small amount of truffles into a mushroom paste and let me tell you that this is warm, and earthy in the most amazing of ways. It still makes your head feel a little funny and your nose start proposing marriage! The paste is available at specialty gourmet shops.

Mushrooms are a great substitute for meat because of their earthy flavor and meaty texture. And if you serve a good mushroom risotto, even the most ardent carnivore won’t miss the meat.



This special risotto is served in roasted acorn squash bowls for the perfect fall entree that’s flavorful, colorful and beautifully presented. If you can find the truffle paste, this is a great place for it or a drizzle of white truffle oil makes the risotto extra scrumptious and it can be found in Whole Foods, gourmet shops or online.

Roasted Acorn Squash Bowls

• 3 acorn squash
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or Silpat. Place squash halves on baking sheet and brush insides with butter. Sprinkle with salt.

Roast for about 50 minutes, until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside and keep warm until risotto is ready.

Risotto

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 teaspoon white truffle oil or paste, optional

Heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to release their juices, about 4 minutes. Season with a pinch of sea salt and sauté until juices are released again. Continue to sauté until juices evaporate and mushrooms are golden brown. Taste and add more salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add rice and stir to coat with butter. Add wine and continue to cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the wine. While onion is cooking, bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan.

Once the wine has reduced, add 1 cup of chicken stock to the rice, stirring constantly. Once the rice has absorbed the stock, add another cup. Repeat the process with remaining stock, stirring constantly. When all of the 6 cups of the broth has been absorbed or your arm is ready to cry "Uncle", taste a grain of rice for doneness. If it is creamy but firm, reserve the remaining broth for another use and fold in the mushrooms. If the risotto is not done to your liking, add the remaining broth one cup at a time, tasting once the broth has been absorbed. When the risotto is creamy, stir in the mushrooms.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano and truffle oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place each of the roasted squash halves on a dinner plate and spoon the risotto into the squash. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.
I have linked this recipe to Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party on Walking on Sunshine!
http://www.walkingonsunshinerecipes.com/

I made this a few weeks ago and wrote most of this blog, but, walking through it.....well, I bought more acorn squash, just looking at these pictures makes me hungry for that creamy truffle infused risotto!Mmmmmm 

                                                          

Trick or Tracker- Okay it's D day! Mom's and Dad's I found a app for your "Smart Phone"! For safety, down load "Trick or Tracker" with your older children, and hand them their or your phone while they are out tricker treating. Use your phone to track them, you can even set perimeters and your phone will alert you when they have left the perimeters you have set. You can also find "offenders" who live in the area with this app "Sex Offender Search". 


And one more Halloween share! Okay, I need to tell you....I have the best family EVER! ............Well, I know that's my opinion. My nieces and nephews arranged many family dinners this last Summer, a date was set and everyone came to have dinner together including my grand nieces and nephews! We had a great time, and Stephanie would bring family games to play, Wee Bear tried to teach "Gangnam Style" dance to the grand nieces and nephews, when they didn't know what it was! A fun time was had by all. When we were leaving to our Winter home Stephanie arranged a final "Farewell Dinner", it brought tears to my eyes to see everyone show up to say goodbye until Thanksgiving. We keep in contact everyday on FB, a great social media site, if used correctly. I thought I would share a few pictures they have sent me this week. I photo shopped them a little to make them even more fun!! Please enjoy my family as much as I do, I really love them.

My Niece and nephew, Sarah and Tim! So cute!! Every year Sarah comes up with the best costumes! So fun! Just love them!

My niece Stephanie and my nephew Steve.....bar girl and beer man, so cute....so creative and so fun!! 

    

                                               
A few years ago, Wee Bear and I decided to travel an hour from our Scottsdale home to Gerome, Arizona. It was Halloween weekend, and we thought it would be fun to stay at the Gerome Grand which was a insane asylum, for 24 years. We had so much fun and stayed in a room where one of the patients, killed himself!!.............. I know, we do go out on the edge ...............occasionally! There is a great restaurant in the hotel as well. Worth the trip if you are planning a trip to Arizona.

 

Built as a hospital in 1926, the now Jerome Grand Hotel is probably one of the most active haunted places. The ghost sightings started in the 1930's with the nurses working at the hospital saying "You'll see him", "We call him Clyde or Scotty". The hospital closed in 1950 and for the next 44 years, the stories of ghost sightings, spirit orbs, paranormal and supernatural activities continued. Renovated into the Jerome Grand Hotel in 1994, the reputation of the old hospital and the ghost sightings continued. The current owners did not want a haunted house or a haunted hotel. They played down the fact that certain guests saw ghost sightings and captured pictures of supernatural orbs. Guests would constantly tell the employees "Do you know this place is haunted?" Jerome being known as Arizona's largest ghost town, the owners said "If the guests want a haunted hotel, then let them have it." The ghosts seem positive and everyone seems to have fun with the hauntings. Here are a few pictures that I did not take, these are on the Gerome Grand website, you can read more about Ghost hunting in the hotel on select nights too. http://www.jeromegrandhotel.net/

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with our friends in the path of "Sandy". We sincerely hope that  the daunting process of rebuilding in the aftermath of  this  storm  goes smoothly and that power is restored quickly.  

Sweet One is brewing again! I'm not sure what she is sharing on Friday, but, as usual it will be amazing!! 

Have fun tonight and stay safe!! Happy Halloween!

Cheers!
JJ