Balance!

Have you ever felt like it might be better just to erase it all and start over...well, me too.  At least as far as blogging goes.  I'm not planning to erase this blog, but I'm thinking of ending it here and starting again.  Yes, my life has become more simplified, but at a cost to other parts of my life.  I've had to re-evaluate and think about what I'm really striving for here.
Most people see me as a granola mom who tries to keep the kids playing outside and the food in the house wholesome and organic.  Other people will say they never see my without my big pink cup of coffee (preferably from Starbucks or Holland Farms!) in one hand and my iphone in the other.
I sent my kindergartener to school with specially packed lunches for months and then, suddenly realized that for only $2 a day, she could learn to make her own choices and eat more variety.  I spend lots of time trying to instill in my girls the value of reduce, reuse, recycle, and then I plop them in front of the TV so I can play on facebook.
I love to garden, and I love to cook.  Due to lack of time, though, I find that most of the time I'd rather order out.  And the lure of pre-chopped veggies is sometimes more than I can resist to the ones I have to harvest, wash, and prepare (although, the taste is usually second rate).
I'd love to say I walk everywhere within a mile of my house, but I'm usually packing the kids in the SUV just to drive down the hill a block to my parent's house.  I preach that kids are overscheduled these days, but I overschedule myself to the very limits of my capability.
So, I've decided.  What I need for 2011 is not more simplification, it's BALANCE.  So what if I'm gardening with the help of an iphone app.  Who cares if my daughter orders lunch at school when she's in love with fresh fruit?  My youngest eats a diet that consists mostly of salad and candy.  Both my daughters know how to express themselves artistically and they know almost all the words to the Glee Christmas special.
The one thing I want to express here is my true self.  So, as soon as I've come up with a new blog name, feel free to join me...you may see me contradict myself, but you'll always get one thing...the truth!

Winter Squash Risotto

This recipe I made last night was adapted from the Winter Squash Risotto with Seared Radicchio from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors (one of my go-to-cookbooks for seasonal recipes.)  Her version used seared radicchio, but I had none on hand.  I used fresh sage (which is still tasty after I unearthed it from the blanket of snow covering my garden) and a small handful of pancetta to make it a one dish meal.

6 cups chicken stock
1 cup cooked winter squash
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup diced pancetta (optional)
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnishing

1.  Heat the stock and simmer on the stovetop before beginning the risotto.  Melt the butter in a seperate large stockpot.  Add the onion and cook over medium heat until wilted and golden in color, about 5 minutes.  Add the rice, stir to coat and cook for 1 minute.  Turn the heat to high and add 2 cups of the simmering stock.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  When all the liquid is absorbed, begin adding 1/2 cup of stock at a time, stirring constantly.  Once you've added 4 cups of the stock, stir in the squash, sage, and pancetta.  Continue cooking, stirring, and adding liquid until the rice is tender and the sauce is creamy.

2.  When the rice is done, add the Gruyere cheese and stir until melted in.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in large pasta bowls with fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.