Pumpkin Risotto (Soy-Free)

When it comes to things for myself I'm really, really cheap. I've almost always been this way - its both a combination of greed for the few funds I do have and a way to make sure that my other family members have enough money and food. So, as I've mentioned once or twice before, I go on a fiscal fast once in a while to use up everything in the fridge and to ensure that I don't spend anything. Yesterday's meal was using up some fresh brussels sprouts and a huge can of pumpkin puree that I had used for a failed recipe.

About two months ago in one of my cooking classes/internships, a chef from a school in Chicago came and showed us all how to make pumpkin risotto without using butter or cream. He demonstrated nice knife skills of course, and he showed the others how to properly cut onions and even corrected me on a separate task. When it came to finishing the risotto after letting the orzo pasta strands being coated in extra-virgin olive oil, he added in a huge load of chicken stock and then covered the whole thing in parmesan cheese. While I obviously avoided that dish, I couldn't deny that it was visually creamy and it smelled so good.

A week later I had made it and shared it with my mother whom took it for lunch the next day. Today I'm sharing the "recipe" with you, as its really all about feel and what you like. You can even put a little chef's hat on and pretend not to be poor (Okay, maybe that's just me)!

(Pumpkin Risotto Ingredients)

• Boiling Water or Stock
• 1/4-1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin
• 1 Medium Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, finely minced
• Olive Oil for sauteing
• 2 cups Orzo Pasta
• Pinch of Salt Pepper
• Basil, Italian Seasonings and Thyme
• Nutritional Yeast (optional)

(Directions)

• Start by sauteing your onions with the olive oil until softened. Then add in your minced garlic and continually stir.
• Add in more olive oil if necessary, then add in your orzo and coat in the oil for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add in about a cup of boiling liquid and continually stir. Add in your pumpkin and allow it to bubble. Add more liquid as needed and cook until the pasta is tender or al dente.
• Serve immediately and enjoy.

Cookie Monster Birthday Cake

I'm not going to go on about how good this cake is, how white it is or how "unhealthy" it is - because I like it and I could make it for a bunch of birthday occasions. But it's pretty obvious that this isn't my first cake rodeo, I have so many cake recipes up the wazoo on this blog that may hint to deeper, more disturbing things. You see, when I was a chubby little two year old my brother's birthday cake had arrived at the house, which makes sense since it was his birthday (man, I'm like a detective or something - just call me Shinlock!).  It was a white cake with chocolate frosting and all of a sudden I felt something, a primal urge. I was a cavegirl and that cake was just setting off my radar - I had to pounce. I squirmed and squealed in the arms of my sister, only having a few repetitive words in my vocabulary really didn't help me at this time but my intentions were clear. "No! That cake is for your brother!" I imagine my sister said with her french wig and corset and expensive jewelry that was draining the French economy. I'm 100% sure she told us all to eat cake before, but then again I was two -years old.

Unfortunately for them (and later, myself) the matriarch of the family decided to take a nap and that is when I took a chance. I recall seeing a "Cosby Show" episode with Rudy and Cliff stuffing a cake with napkins after eating a slice and thought that I should do the same. Of course...it would have to be taken from the middle because I'm a cake expert and I knew that it would fall. I had just dove into the cake and found that it wasn't worth it. I hated chocolate, yuck! Of course, right underneath the layer of the na-na-na-nasty chocolate there was the delicate and fluffy vanilla cake. That was my prize for being such good girl, besides, being the baby of the family means that I get whatever I want.

As I peered over the cake with about 10 feet of chocolate-covered napkins in my left hand and a chunk full of cake in the middle I heard an "Ooh!" and snapped my head around to see my sister shaking her finger at me...boy was I in trouble. Let's just say that the ending to that story was not a happy one - but I still hate chocolate frosting!

Now, I think we outta get down to this cake recipe. Its just a white cake with white icing with lots of Newman-O's (and a few Ore's as well).

(Cookies N Cream Cake Ingredients)

• 4 C. Cake Flour
• 1 tbl. Baking Powder.
• 1 & 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 C. Soymilk + 1/4 C. Vegetable Oil & 1 tbl. Vanilla Extract
• Smashed Cookies

(Directions)

• Sift your dry ingredients together then stir in your wet.
• Fold in your cookies then tap on a flat surface 15 times before baking at 350 degrees.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until your toothpick comes out clean from checking it. Take out of pan and allow to cool.
• Decorate with white frosting and many more cookies, slice and enjoy!

You can use any frosting recipe that you like, but I'll be doing a few tutorials pretty soon. ^.~