Creamy Pumpkin Risotto

This "Pumpkin Risotto" has to be one of the best I've tasted.

Perfect for this cooler weather.

If your not a pumpkin fan, don't let that stop you from giving this a try. 

The pumpkin flavor is very faint, if at all. 

The marriage of it with all the other ingredients, turns it into 

one harmonious plate of awesomeness! 

Linked with Weekend Potluck and Foodie Friday.

Creamy Pumpkin Risotto

Serves 4

1 1/2 cup of arborio rice
4 cups of chicken stock
3 shallots, diced finely
1 teaspoon of dried sage
1 glass of good quality white wine
A large handful of cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan, and extra for serving

In a pot, bring the stock to a boil, reduce to a low simmer.
In a saucepan, add a good drizzle of olive oil on medium low heat. Add the shallots, and the dried sage. Once the shallots have softened (about 2 minutes), add the rice and and mix, stirring until the rice looks lightly toasted. Add the wine and gently stir. Once the wine has almost evaporated, add the stock one ladle at a time. Keep adding stock once it has almost evaporated in the pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper (the stock will reduce and is salty so make sure not to add too much salt while you're cooking the risotto).

In the meantime, heat some olive oil on medium high heat in a separate pan. Add the sliced mushrooms. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked through. Set aside.

Keep a constant eye on the rice, adding stock as it gets incorporated into the rice. The risotto should gently simmer for about 16-17 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, add the mushrooms and pumpkin puree. Gently mix them in making sure the pumpkin puree is well stirred through. Fold in the Parmesan. Serve immediately, adding a little more Parmesan if desired. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

These cupcakes are a perfect treat for moving into fall.

I saw the cupcake recipe while rummaging through i am baker's blog and thought
it sounded delicious (it is), so kudos to her.

I don't remember what she used for frosting, but I thought it would 
be perfect with one that is rich and cinnamon-y.

Huge hit!

Linked with Weekend Potluck and Foodie Friday.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups Flour

2/3 cups Cocoa

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Vanilla Yogurt

1 cup Canned Pumpkin

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

3/4 cups Butter, softened

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325*

Prepare cupcake pan with your fun and festive liners. 

In mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, set aside.

Stir yogurt, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and yogurt mixtures in thirds, starting and ending with flour.

Bake for 18-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove once toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, or center springs back when touched.

CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1/2 cup butter, softened 
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar 
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp of heavy cream (or half and half)

Beat butter, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, a little at a time, alternating with cream; beating until desired consistency. 

I wanted to share my thoughts on the frosting. Here's the deal.

It tasted wonderful, but....personally, I did not like the slightly gritty texture that the

brown sugar gave it.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, and no one else said anything about it,

but I would have preferred it perfectly smooth.

So, I was talking to my sister Leah about it, and she had a great idea.

Instead of brown sugar, just use all powdered sugar and add about a tablespoon of molasses, then adjust your cream accordingly.

If you don't have molasses, go ahead and try it with the brown sugar, or it would still be good with just powdered sugar. The real star is the cinnamon.