Butternut Squash Risotto

I really like squash but it hasn't always been that way. Let me tell you a story of squash that my family will never let me live down. I think I was probably 4 or 5. The scenario is the dinner table. On the menu was something and squash. The conversation must have gone something like this:

Mom: Kristy, you need to eat your squash or you can't have dessert after dinner.
Kristy: I don't like squash.
Mom: Well, veggies are good for you so you need to eat it.

We always used those tupperware cups when we were little. Did you have them as a child, too?
The glorious thing that was that you couldn't see through those plastic cups. I thought that I could trick my mom into thinking I had eaten my squash. I would put a bite in my mouth and then take a drink and proceed to spit the squash into my cup. Gross, I know. Well, I "ate" all the squash off my plate and must have thought I was home free. That was until my Mom was doing the dishes and dumped out my cup to find a whole lot of mushy squash in the bottom of the cup. I don't remember what happened from there but I think we just laughed about it. This story comes up on occasion, whenever squash is served.

OK. Moving on....the moral of that whole story is that I have really come to love squash over the years and it is always one of my favorite side dishes. A friend brought me this butternut squash risotto and after tasting it, knew I HAD to have the recipe. So, here is the really yummy risotto recipe, courtesy of my friend Kim T.

Butternut Squash Risotto

you will need :

1 32 oz box of chicken broth
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
2 cups aborio rice (this is a fatter italian rice)
1 12 oz pkg of cubed butternut squash (you can also buy a small whole squash and cube it or buy a box of frozen squash puree)

nutmeg
salt/pepper
1 cup grated parmigiano - reggiano cheese
2 T butter
1/4 cup fresh sage cut into really fine pieces

In a large sautee pan cook onion and garlic in a little bit of olive oil until soft (few min) add the rice and cook for about another 2-3 min or until mostly translucent. Add hot chicken stock 1 cup at a time and stir until the liquid evaporates. repeat until all of the broth is used up. Sometimes you need to add a little more water as well because the rice isn't quite cooked by the time all of the liquid stock is absorbed. This process usually takes about 20 min on med-low heat. Meanwhile, steam your squash until tender and then puree it and add it to the rice. If you are using frozen puree , then just thaw it and dump it in. season with a dash of nutmeg and salt and pepper and then right before you are about to finish add the cheese and butter and sage.

I love that this is a healthier version of risotto because it is like you replace the cream with the pureed squash. SO yummy! This works as a great main dish, served with a green salad.