Butternut Squash Risotto: Easy, Meatless Meal

I think I've said this before, but Will and I love risottos. The only problem we have with them is, they can be really fatty. This dish solves the problem and, better yet, it can easily be made vegetarian and vegan with one simple change.
First, take two cups of cubed butternut squash and combine it with two and a half cups of water. Bring this mixture to a boil, lower the temperature and let it simmer for five minutes, then take it off the heat and let it stand for five minutes. Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend this mixture until smooth.
Add three and a half cups of chicken or vegetable stock to your squash mixture; bring it to a simmer, then lower the heat to low. Set aside a quarter cup of the mixture. Heat a pan and add a Tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Add two cups arborio rice to the pan with the heated oil and toss, stirring constantly until the rice is coated. Add one cup of butternut squash, two and a half cups of the squash mixture, and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Once the rice has just about soaked up all the stock, stirring constantly, add the remainder of the squash mixture, one cup at a time, until the rice has soaked it all up, stirring constantly. Once all the squash mixture is gone, stir in the final quarter cup of the squash mixture and sprinkle ground time and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Will and I loved this very much. We did end up with a lot of leftover squash, though, since butternut squash are huge, so I will be making a butternut squash and apple soup later this week. As I said before, this can easily be made vegetarian and vegan by simply using vegetable stock instead of chicken.

Meatball Subs: An Effective Way of Using Leftovers

I always wind up with a ton of leftover sauce and meatballs whenever I make spaghetti, so generally all I need to do is buy or bake some hot dog buns and maybe some mozzarella or provolone cheeses and I have a meal ready to go.
All you need to do is heat the desired amount of spaghetti sauce until it's good and hot. Then add your meatballs and, once they're also hot, serve. Make sure to get a nice thick sort of hot dog bun; the cheapest ones get really soggy and can be tough to handle as a result, so your money will be well spent. If you have a grocery store that bakes bread fresh, you have a good chance of finding proper buns. As for the cheese, since it's not the centerpiece of the meal, you don't need to shell out extra money for the best; something middle of the road or even on the cheap end will do.
Will and I loved this version; we usually use fairly cheap hot dog buns that are gummy and get so soggy that you have to eat your meatball sub with a fork and knife, so we were in for quite a surprise when the buns we got actually held up enough to pick up and eat.

Chicken Milan: Tasty, But a Bit Too Garlicky For My Liking

My chicken had finally defrosted, so it was time to make chicken Milan. This was not necessarily a difficult recipe, but it still left me with slightly frayed nerves.
First, heat some olive oil in a skillet on medium to medium-low heat; add four cloves of minced garlic and saute until they start to brown and add pepper to taste; meanwhile, cook some linguine according to the package directions. Pour the garlic mixture into a bowl and set it aside. Dredge your chicken tenders first in a mixture of flour, basil, salt, and pepper; then into two beaten eggs; and cook in the pan you cooked your garlic in until the chicken is cooked through. By this time, your linguine should be ready, so drain it and put it on a plate; pour the oil and garlic mixture over and top with the chicken tenders.
I liked it, but found it to be too garlicky, so the next time I make it, I'll only add two cloves instead of four. Needless to say, I'm really glad I didn't use the eight cloves the recipe initially called for. Will, who loves garlic and often complains when I don't use enough, loved it.

Penne With Creamy Mushrooms: Rich and Delicious

The chicken I had started to defrost decided it didn't want to, so I wound up making one of the meatless dishes I set up. This dish was easily something I will make again, so I wasn't disappointed.
First, melt a couple Tablespoons butter and add a Tablespoon of olive oil; once the butter's melted, add six sliced shallots and cook on low until they're softened. Add a few sliced mushrooms and cook til softened; an salt and pepper to taste. Stir in a teaspoon of flour. Add two-thirds of a cup of cream and two Tablespoons of port as well as four ounces of drained sun-dried tomatoes. Cook this for eight minutes, stirring occasionally, on low. Meanwhile, cook your penne according to the package directions; once it's cooked, drain and add the penne to the skillet containing your sauce and toss to coat.
Will and I both thoroughly enjoyed this dish. I would definitely make it again, but next time I won't add the flour; the sauce thickened way too much, like to the point of separating.