Holiday recipe: pumpkin and goat cheese risotto

This fall I spent a lot of time dreaming up new pumpkin recipes. Between making pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin lasagna, and pumpkin cream pie, I never found the time to make the pumpkin risotto that I was plotting. Then Christmas came and went, and I was spending too much time traveling, moving, and eating dinner with family to do much cooking at home.

But, on New Year's Eve, I finally found a moment to make my vision a reality. I found that it was just as satisfying in winter as I expected it to be in fall. And, if you're like me, you still have a few cans of pumpkin in your pantry and could probably benefit from a new recipe to use it in.

So, without further ado, I give you pumpkin goat cheese risotto . . .

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 or 5 green onions

2 cups arborio rice

4 cups chicken broth

1 can pumpkin

4 ounces goat cheese

seasonings and garnishes of your choice

Step 1. Bring broth to a simmer in a sauce pan.

Step 2. On a neighboring burner, melt butter with oil over medium heat.

Step 3. Add green onions, arborio rice, and pumpkin to the butter and oil mixture, stirring to combine so the rice is evenly coated.

Step 4. Keeping the broth at a simmer, add a ladle-full at a time to the rice mixture, stirring constantly. As each ladle-full is absorbed, add another, stirring constantly until the rice is al dente. This may use less than the total amount of broth or it may use the four cups exactly. If you need more, add boiling water from a tea kettle after the broth is used up. This whole process takes about 20-30 minutes of stirring. It's what intimidates most people about making risotto from scratch, but I find that it can be quite relaxing if you remember to be patient. After all, it's not complicated; it just takes time.

Step 5. Season as you so desire. I used cinnamon, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, worcestershire sauce, and ground black pepper, but whatever you have on hand that you think will taste nice will do.

Step 6. Take the risotto off the heat. Stir in the goat cheese until it's totally melted and well combined, reserving a bit of cheese for garnish if you like.

Step 7. Dish up the risotto, garnishing it with whatever you desire. I used extra goat cheese and some fresh dill because that's what I had on hand (leftover from these latkes), but I think some toasted pepitas would be just perfect if you can get your hands on some.

Enter your email address:

Color Theory: Black and White

January's color theory isn't on a single color but on a classic color combination. I'm very very into wearing black and white together with no color. It's such an easy go-to look and it really shows off the pattern of whatever your wearing.

I think it's perfect for the new year -- the black and white representing the old and the new -- and I used to sometimes make a black and white cake or black and white cookies for new years in addition to the ultimate black and white New Year's tradition: the black eyed peas my dad always made.

The color combination also makes me nostalgic for old movies and photographs. In fact, I was once in a production of To Kill a Mockingbird where the director decided that every set piece, prop, and costume would be in gray scale as a nod to the classic film that she knew would be in the audience's minds as they watched our production.

But black and white without the gray can be even more striking.

My latest black and white obsession is some bold chevron fabric I'm going to make into curtains. But, until I can show you those, here's some of my favorite ways I've worn black and white in outfit posts. As always, you can click any photo you see for a link to that outfit post. Enjoy the soundtrack. :)

Enter your email address:

Prezzies

Here are a few of the many wonderful prezzies my lovely family gave me for Christmas. Thank you so much Ryan, Ben, Jenn, Poppa, Mum, and Grandma!

Enter your email address:

What I wore today: 01/01/2012 (Black and Yellow New Year's Brunch))

When I woke up this morning and we decided to walk down the street for some New Year's Day Brunch, I wanted to start the day off right with a cute outfit rather than something lazy, and I was glad I did because it set the mood for the whole, wonderful day.

I love this dress. It's Ralph Lauren, but I bought it at Savers In Austin while I was there last week. The jacket is an old favorite. I always thought I wanted a motorcycle jacket, but then I bought this one and a motorcycle one both at the thrift store one day at found myself wearing only this one. It's much more ladylike, which is very much my style and the sleeve length is absolute perfection.

There's just something about wearing yellow white and black together that I love. Remember this outfit? Of course it's also the pallet for this blog, and it's what I want in our living room if I ever persuade Ryan that yellow walls aren't too extreme. His reaction when I suggested it: "Well, Niko will love it!" (Yellow is Ryan's four-year-old nephew Niko's favorite color.) My response: "Well, Niko has great taste!"

The bee color pallet also turned out to be a perfect match for Honey, the restaurant where we ate, no?

Chain-print mock wrap dress - Ralph Lauren, thrifted

Wool tights - online tights shop

Lady Dragon shoes - Vivienne Westwood (last seen here)

Button-up leather jacket with bracelet-length sleeves - thrifted

Cashmere-lined leather gloves - Nordstrom Rack

Enter your email address:

What I wore today: 12/31/2011 (New Year's Eve)

Taking inspiration from unusual ways of wearing sequin skirts, I paired this new gold sequin mini skirt with my trusty chambray shirt for New Year's.

Ryan and I kept things low key. We walked down a few blocks to a neighborhood bar for their champagne toast and then visited a couple others before turning in. It was one the the most spontaneous and laid-back New Year's Eves we've ever had and it was the most fun.

I hope you and yours enjoyed ringing in 2012 as much as we did. What did you wear?

Gold sequin mini skirt - Victoria's Secret

Chambray shirt - The Limited (last seen here and here)

Wool tights - online tights shop

Quilted flats - Modcloth (last seen here and here)

Sequin bag - Nordstrom Rack

Leopard brocade coat - Forever 21

Enter your email address: