Butternut Squash Risotto with Arugula

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The Hubby is starting to call Playing With My Food my 'soup blog,' so I guess it's time to post something not so liquidy (another new word!).  

Butternut squash is my new wonder vegetable (actually it's technically a fruit, but that's like saying that Pluto is not a planet or something.  Details!)  It can be mashed, pureed, roasted, served in a soup, and also used as a delicious base for a risotto.  You can now buy it already peeled and pre-cut in a 2-pound package at Costco, or in a smaller packages at most grocery stores.  Since Costco is my favourite store in the world, I bought it there.  I first made the Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Winter Soup (yum!) that I posted last week, and then this risotto.  

Scallop and Broccolini Risotto

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Sometimes...I impress myself.

Like, take last Wednesday night for example.  First of all, it's a Wednesday night, so there's that.  Second of all, I'm like tired after work on Wednesdays, guys!

But, let me back up a little bit, because before Wednesday night there was Monday night, which as we all know is way worse than Wednesday night (because at least Wednesday night is Hump Day and also there's Big Brother).  On Monday night I thawed a frozen package of scallops from Costco in the refrigerator.  This is usually pretty much how I guarantee to myself that I will not be lazy at some point later in the week, because the guilt of having something thawing in my fridge sits in my mind all day long.

Tomato and Italian Sausage Risotto

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I made a delicious dinner last night.  The Hubby said it was the best thing he has eaten in 2012!  Thank you Martha Stewart, you saucy domestic goddess you!

Risotto always seemed like one of those unconquerable meals that I could only order in a restaurant.  Like...what is that stuff?  But I made it last year for the first time, and it was EASY!  Lots of stirring and monitoring, but still pretty darn easy!  So, I decided to try it again last night...this time with a tomato-based version (healthier? maybe. probably), and it was delish.

There is a bunch of spinach in this recipe (like actually a spinach bunch of spinach!), so if you feel like skipping a side vegetable, you will still have your vegetable quota covered.  I usually have all of these ingredients on hand, so it was a breeze to make for a hearty weeknight meal to help combat these cold nights that still lurk.