Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Happy Halloween, My Little Gluten Free Ghouls!!!

This fall-tide risotto will make you eager to crank up the oven and scarf down the comfort foods. Right now, Trader Joe's has pre-cut and cubed butternut squash, so there's really no excuse to not add this sweet, luscious vegetable to your already perfect risotto.

Make this risotto for dinner so you don't accidentally ingest "too much" candy tonight.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (or a 1 lb. pkg., pre-cut and cubed)

olive oil, salt, pepper

1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 and 1/2 cups Arborio rice

2/3 cup white wine

6-8 cups chicken or veggie stock, heated on stove while cooking risotto

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with tin foil for easy cleanin' up. Put butternut squash cubes in bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread evenly & separately on cookie sheet. Roast for 12-14 minutes, then toss the squash (they burn easily). Roast an additional 12-14 minutes, until soft and browned. Remove from oven and let cool. Loosely smash the squash cubes for later mixing into risotto.

2. In a large dutch oven or sauce pan (I use my le creuset pot), heat 2 tablespoons olive oil to medium high heat. Sautee chopped onion 12-15 minutes until very soft and translucent, almost caramelizing. Add Arborio rice, let rice get coated with olive oil and start to toast, about 2 minutes. Add white wine, letting the rice sizzle, about 2-3 minutes. Ladle 2 scoops of stock into your risotto, stirring well. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Keep ladling in stock, 2 scoops at a time, stirring well each time, as the liquid gets absorbed into the rice. In about 30 minutes, the rice will have absorbed 6-8 cups of the stock. Taste the rice to make sure it's finished and not too al dente. Add in the parmesan cheese, stir thoroughly. Add in the smashed butternut squash cubes and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately with a dusting of parmesan cheese.

Fall goodness.