Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

risotto is one of my favorite things on the planet. (you can read all about my ode to risotto here.) there is something about the thick, creamy rice that wraps me in warmth. it is truly a comfort food to me.

i actually contemplated putting this roasted butternut squash risotto on our thanksgiving comfort food feast menu but the 20-30 minute hands-on time and the serve immediately thing didn't quite go with our laid-back meal. i did have the ingredients on hand though so i could make it shortly after as my crave-o-meter was going into high gear.

this dish is perfect for late fall/early winter when butternut squash is in season. the slight sweetness of the butternut squash really comes out when it's roasted. i puree the squash so the risotto maintains its creamy integrity.

just so you know, you can use canned pumpkin if you prefer or if you buy cut-up butternut squash to save you time and effort, you wait too long, and it goes bad before you can use it. just hypothetically, or course. it tastes great with pumpkin too. i have also used brown arborio rice (i actually did in the photos here), but keep in mind it takes longer to cook. i find it takes at least 1 more cup of chicken stock and ends up with a bit more "chew" to it than white arborio rice.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
serves 4 as a main dish

roasted butternut squash:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cleaned and chopped
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

risotto:
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbs olive oil
3 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 cups white wine
1/4 cups grated parmesan
salt
pepper

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

spread chopped butternut squash on a greased, foil-lined sheet pan. drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil, salt and pepper. toss well to coat (i use the tools god gave me - my clean hands). roast for 25-30 minutes until edges are just starting to brown and squash is fork tender. remove from oven and let cool.

meanwhile, heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. add shallots and saute until transparent. add garlic and and cook another minute or two. add rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly until completely coated in oil and starting to turn translucent.

add wine and stir until almost all liquid has been absorbed. add 1/2 cup of warm chicken stock and stir constantly until almost all liquid has been absorbed. continue adding 1/2 cup of liquid at a time and cooking (while stirring) until nearly absorbed. you may not need all of the chicken stock or you may need a bit more but it will take between 20-30 mins. test rice to see if finished - it should be firm but not crunchy.

when squash is cooled, puree in food processor or mash with potato masher. stir into risotto. add parmesan cheese and stir until combined. serve immediately. garnish with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Project Pinterest - Cake Stand Perfume

are you addicted to pinterest like i am? seriously, it's made me a more organized and motivated. i actually remember recipes i want to make and diy things i want to attempt. my boards are getting pretty full.

what the heck is pinterest?

well, according to the site itself, "Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and share their favorite recipes."

which brings me to the first of (hopefully) many pinterest inspiration posts. i am going to take something i have pinned and put my spin on it. it could be a recipe i have been dying to make, (can someone please explain why almost all of the recipes i have pinned are desserts?) an outfit i want to recreate (it might get me out of my current yoga pants and hoodie rut), a house improvement, or a diy item (lord help me, i might even attempt to get crafty).

if you don't know what pinterest is, head on over here and check it out. warning: this site is highly addictive! i first joined several months ago. E was away on travel and i stayed up way past my bedtime perusing pins and creating my boards. but it's totally worth it! all my ideas are now in one place!

if you need an invite, just drop me an email and i'll try and hook you up (i have a limited number of invites i can personally give out - first come, first serve). if you are already a pinterest addict, check out my boards or follow me here.

my first pinterest inspiration is a relatively simple one. i found this one via Jill GG (fashion blogger extraordinaire) and re-pinned it because it seemed like an easy way to organize my perfume collection.

inspiration photo:

Source: d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net via Page @ Good Clean Fun on Pinterest

my spin:

the cake stand is courtesy of my wonderful sister-in-law, K. it actually doubles as a chip and dip plate too if you flip it over. the best thing is, i get some use out of it when i am not baking cakes or inhaling chips!

have you found inspiration on pinterest??

Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

this was, hands down, my favorite part of thanksgiving dinner. that's right - it's better than the ridiculously awesome truffle mac and cheese.

if you have been reading this little blog for any amount of time you will not be surprised to know, it's in the dessert category. actually, my wonderful mother-in-law made it. just the pure fact that she brought this made her even more amazing in my book (if that's even possible:)

chocolate peanut butter pie. perhaps the four most delectable words in the english language put together into one dessert. dang it's good. she actually found the recipe in a jif/smuckers ad in a 2004 newspaper. just another reason why you should read the newspaper.

it manages to me super decadent and rich, and light a fluffy all at the same time. the only thing that makes this pie better is eating it for breakfast.

wow.

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Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

1 prepared chocolate cookie pie crust
1 C peanut butter
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 C sugar
12 oz container of non-dairy whipped topping, divided
1- 11.5 oz jar Smucker's Hot Fudge Ice Cream Toppings, divided

drizzle:
2 Tbs hot fudge
2 Tbs peanut butter

in medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. gently fold in 3 cups whipped topping. spoon mixture into the pie shell. using a spatula, smooth mixture to edge of pie.

reserving 2 tbs hot fudge, place remaining hot fudge into a microwave bowl. microwave for 1 minute. stir and spread over pie to cover the peanut butter layer. refrigerate until serving time.

just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping over the hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers. place the 2 Tbs hot fudge in a small baggie and knead for a few seconds. cut a tiny hole in a corner of the bag and drizzle over pie. do the same with the 2Tbs peanut butter, drizzling in the opposite direction as the hot fudge.

Thankful, Part Four

who says we have to stop being thankful now that thanksgiving is over? what could be more important than being thankful 365 days a year??

today i am thankful for:

an incredibly appreciative, generous, and thoughtful husband 

who treated me to a luxurious massage at my favorite spa (ojas in hunt valley)

thanks baby - you are more wonderful than i can express!

Thanksiving Macaroni and Cheese

if you follow me on facebook (and let's be serious, you should) you know i did not end up making a traditional thanksgiving dinner. *gasp*

sure, i have done the traditional spread before but i have a confession, i don't love turkey. mashed potatoes aren't even my favorite way to eat a potato (i'll take them fried please, with truffle salt and garlic:). now i know that traditional thanksgiving meal is near a dear to many people and i certainly don't want to offend anyone. hey, i'm from maryland, i love sauerkraut with my turkey as much as the next baltimorian, hun. but this year, i wanted to do something different.

thankfully, E's family was on board and thus a comfort food feast was born. i basically tried to find out everyone's favorite comfort food and incorporate it into our meal. it turned out to be a bit of a mismatch of items and shockingly enough no one requested vegetables so i had to sneak one in there. each dish turned out really well and i will surely post each one within the next week or so but i had to start with my personal favorite - dun da da daaah . . . truffle macaroni and cheese.

of course we couldn't leave out macaroni and cheese if we were having a comfort food meal - it would be un-american! i adapted this recipe from martha stewart and it turned out amazingly well. of course, i made way too much which means we'll have to suffer through the leftovers. come on over, we have plenty!

note: i found truffle butter at wegmans and truffle salt at williams-sonoma (the salt is a bit pricey but a little goes a long way and it's great on fries, roasted potatoes - even eggs!)

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Truffle Macaroni and Cheese
serves 8

1 - 13.5 oz box pasta (i used barilla plus rotini)
3 tbs unsalted butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tbs truffle butter
3 cups whole milk
2 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded jack cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp truffle salt
1/4 tsp chipolte chile powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup additional shredded sharp cheddar (for topping)

cook pasta 2 minutes shorted than package directions making sure it is slightly undercooked.

meanwhile, melt butters in large saucepan over medium high heat. add flour. cook and whisk for 2 minutes. slowly add milk, while whisking. cook, stirring frequently, until white sauce has thickened - roughly 10-12 minutes. stir in cream cheese. remove from heat and stir in jack, parmesan, and cheddar until smooth. add cooked pasta and stir well to combine.

pour into greased baking dish and top with 1 cup remaining sharp cheddar cheese. bake for 20 minutes until cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.

Thankful, Part Three

i'm still thankful . . .

today, i am thankful for:

an amazing family
truffle salt
safe travels
leftovers

 sunggly puppies
lively discussions
sleeping in
a ravens win

naps
sunshine
avoiding the black friday crowds
walks in the woods
cold chocolate peanut butter pie for breakfast

monograms
laughter
christmas decorations
prosecco

Thursday Latelies - Thanksgiving!

happy thanksgiving everyone!


(i love the random freeze frame they choose when uploading a video - awesome!)

- urban decay eyeshadow primer
- pink sugar by aquolina
- kimbra - good intent video
- walt disney world!

Thankful, Part Two

today, i am thankful for:

cinnamon rolls

electric blankets

nieces and nephews

risotto

roller coasters

skype

chocolate

hand-written cards

fuzzy, warm slippers

lifelong friends

triangle pose

being silly

my baby

Thankful, Part One

today, i am thankful for*:

sunshine

a soft, warm, snuggly robe

two wet noses that warm my heart

wine

christmas music

raspberries

electric heaters

my momma

the smell of apple pie baking in the oven

photos of vacations

snuggling

our fireplace

dvr

warm rolls

family driving into town

what are YOU thankful for?

*idea stolen borrowed from rockstar diaries

Sparkles

my name is page and i am addicted to sparkly things . . .

my new favorite manicure:

light pink on all nails - i love the classic OPI bubble bath
silver sparkles on the ring finger - currently using sally hansen hard as nails in disco ball

Weekend

by now, most of you know E and i went to walt disney world with our niece and nephew this past weekend.

it was hands down, one of the best vacations i have ever been on! here's a peek into our trip (more to come later). meanwhile, i am trying to convince E's sister to let us adopt Evy and RJ. they are amazing kids and how nice would it be to start out with super well-behaved 9 and 10 year-olds we are already crazy about?!?

i miss them already!

 

Where in the World is Good Clean Fun?

we are currently escaping yetis, soaring into outer space, and getting soaked with splashes.

tomorrow it's adventures with indy, broken elevators, feeling the force, and rockin' with aerosmith.

any guesses where we are?

Wegmans Winner

congrats to AC - the winner of good clean fun's $50 wegmans gift card!

AC said
"Niagara Falls Wegmans was MY Wegmans but now I make bi-weekly trips to the one in Amherst, NY. I also have 2 others that are just as close (or far away depending on how you look at it!). I'm a member of a group that is campaigning for a Wegmans in Lockport!"

AC, please send me an email with your mailing address so i can send you your gift card!

thanks to all who entered - and happy wegmans shopping:)

Happy Birthday!

happy 37th birthday to my favorite person on the planet!

my life hasn't been the same since the day i met you and i can't wait to celebrate 37 more birthdays with you . . .

819!

Weekend

my weekend consisted of a lot of this

a little of this

and some quality time with 2 of my favorite people

followed up by some all-american football on the mall in DC

only two things were missing

Nutella Espresso Mousse

a while back i posted this recipe - nutella mousse. it was one of my most popular recipes. one of the comments i received suggested adding espresso i deepen the chocolate flavor.

of course! why didn't i channel my inner ina garten and add coffee?!? this time, i added just a teaspoon of instant espresso and the result was amazing. there wasn't a drop left after a big meal with company. everyone deemed themselves full, yet somehow, this nutella mousse slides down in the cracks.

well worth it my friends!

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Nutella Mousse
serves 4

1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tsp espresso powder
2 tbs frangelico liquor
3/4 cup nutella

whisk together cream and espresso powder until dissolved. combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. whisk well to break up nutella. whip with electric mixer for 2 minutes on medium-high until soft peaks form. divide into 4 bowls and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.

11.11.11

source

can you believe it's 11.11.11? (and yes, i actually scheduled this post for 11:11am) only 100 years until that happens again.

chances are if you are reading this now, you won't be around for the next one. but with modern medicine, who knows . . .

i'm celebrating with an orange martini and chocolate. you?

Thursday Latelies

it's back! another thursday video - just push play



- bailey's chocolates on amazon
- stash's cinnamon vanilla herbal tea again, on amazon
- link to tina fey's bossypants book (i feel like amazon should be sponsoring this post)

Crab Imperial Stuffed Mushrooms

do you remember when i posted about these two old recipe books we found when cleaning out my grandfathers house? this recipe for crab imperial is an old family favorite and it's in one of those books. every time i have this it makes me think of my family.

but, i confess, i did something different this time. something wonderful. i stuffed the crab imperial inside a portabella mushroom. the result was absolutely delicious. why haven't i thought of this before?

this is now a one dish wonder. yes, crab on a weeknight is a bit of a splurge but it was so quick and easy it would be perfect for a busy evening. however, it's also a delicious, decadent meal, with a wonderful presentation that would be excellent for company.

talk about a versatile dish. if you are a crab meat lover, you will love this dish! or course, if you don't like mushrooms, just spoon the imperial crab into ramekins and serve with roasted broccoli or a salad.

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Crab Imperial
makes 4 servings

4 portabella mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1 lb lump crab meat, picked through
2 tbs mayonnaise (i use olive oil mayo)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 egg
1 shot sherry
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

spray a baking dish with cooking spray. in a medium bowl, whisk together mayo, dijon, egg, sherry, salt, and pepper. add crabmeat and stir with a spatula carefully (you don't want to break up the lumps of crab). spoon into mushrooms and bake for 25-30 minutes.

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on a side note, E said he liked this meal but he left one bite on his plate. doesn't he know it's illegal in the state of maryland to leave crabmeat on your plate? i helped him avoid inevitable jail time by cleaning his plate. yeah, i'm an awesome wife.

Wegmans Favorites Giveaway

it's no secret that i love wegmans. actually, it's my home away from home, or as i like to say, my office. i am lucky enough to live just 5 minutes from one and i can be found there most weekday mornings between 8:30 and 9am. i always shop there before i cook for my personal chef clients because they truthfully have the best selection, the freshest looking produce, and they always have even the most random of ingredients.

wegmans - hunt valley, md (source)

my cousin just had a wegmans open up near her (those who live in northborough, ma are lucky ducks) and she asked for some of my favorite wegman items. so, here they are in no particular order:

wegmans finishing butter
this stuff is liquid gold. it's amazing on vegetables and meats alike. the garlic cheese butter is a tried a true favorite and i just tried the truffle butter for the first time this weekend and it is to die for.

biscoff spread
have you had biscoffs cookies? you know the ones they give out on american airlines. they taste like a mix between ginger snaps and graham crackers and a divine. if you like biscoff cookies, you'll love biscoff spread. it is seriously spreadable biscoff cookies. great on wheat toast, graham crackers, and apples. you can probably find this in other stores, but wegmans is the only place around me i have seen this. get it. today. you won't be sorry.

sushi
i think wegmans has fantastic sushi. it's super fresh made on premises (right in front of you - it's fun to watch them make it) everyday. my favorite is the brown rice spicy jumbo lump crab roll. yum!

holiday chai
wegmans has a huge selection of teas. an entire wall in fact. i am such a sucker for chai tea. seriously i have 5 or 6 different varieties in my pantry at the moment. my current favorite is stash's holiday chai. it seems to be a little spicier than most chai teas which i love. i add plenty of milk and a little agave.

source

bulk section
wegmans has a fantastic bulk section. hunt valley wegmans actually has two bulk sections - one is even organic. they have everything from trail mix and oatmeal to nuts, chocolate, and candy. it's how i buy most of my raw unsalted nuts and grains.

bakery
dang, wegmans bakery is paradise for someone with a sweet tooth. some of my favorite include their pumpkin cheesecake, the beautiful fruit tarts, and their creamy lemon bars. bet you can't pick just one.

those are just a few of my wegmans favorites. if you haven't been to one, come visit me, i'll give you the grand tour:)

for those of you lucky enough to live near a wegmans, i have a treat for you - i am giving away a $50 wegmans gift card. to find a wegmans near you, go to wegmans.com. i figured with thanksgiving coming up, wegmans would be a perfect place to shop for all your thanksgiving meal needs.

each person has three chances to win.

1.  leave a comment and tell me if you have ever been to a wegmans and if so, which location.

2.  "like" good clean fun on facebook (click here to do so) and leave me a comment at the bottom of this post saying you "like" me (if you already like good clean fun, just leave a comment saying you do).

3.  follow goodcleanfunpw on twitter (click here to do so) and leave me a comment at the bottom of this post saying you follow good clean fun (if you already follow goodcleanfunpw, just leave a comment saying you do).

each comment counts as an entry which means you can leave a maximum of three comments and that will give you three entries. you must leave a separate comment for each entry to be counted.

this giveaway is open until monday, november 14th at noon est. the winner will be announced here on monday evening. 


*this post is the opinion of good clean fun. the giveaway is sponsored by good clean fun and is not affiliated with wegmans. i am quite positive wegmans has no idea who i am:)

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