Balancing Act: Roasted Fall Vegetable Salad

While fall is the ideal time of year for comfort food - apple pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing - it's also the easiest time of year to pack on a few extra pounds. Thanks to the cooler weather, it's easy to hide what all that pie does to your middle underneath layers and loose sweaters. And though I'm not one to sacrifice my favorite fall foods for vanity's sake, I don't want to be cursing those extra helpings of cider donuts come next spring. So in order to get the most of the comforting fall flavors we all love, I look to the many hearty vegetables the autumn harvest has to offer.

This salad with roasted butternut squash, brussels sprouts and beets is so satisfying that you won't feel like you're missing out at all. Plus, just look at those colors. If that doesn't look like fall, I don't know what does. And if anything, eat this salad so you can feel a little less guilty about polishing off that bag of candy corn after.

Roasted Fall Vegetable Salad
makes 4 entrée-sized servings

Ingredients:
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups precooked beets, quartered
1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
16 oz baby spinach (or 2 bags of the pre-washed kind from the grocery store)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Assemble the squash and brussels sprouts on the baking sheet so they're in one even layer. If the pan is too crowded, use 2 baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss the veggies so they're evenly coated in oil. Roast in the oven about 30 minutes, or until tender and slightly browned. Allow the veggies to cool slightly.
3. Top the spinach with beets, gorgonzola, walnuts and roasted veggies. I don't use any extra dressing for this, because I find the beets and roasted veggies help moisten the spinach, but if you want to drizzle with some extra olive oil, more power to ya.

A Very Gaga Thanksgiving

While some of you may have turned on your TV to catch "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving" this year, we had a very Gaga Thanksgiving in the flesh! As much I would have enjoyed eating our Thanksgiving meal to the melody of "Bad Romance"as we all incubated in large eggs, I'm talking about the first and original Gaga, not Lady Gaga... our grandma! Me being the oldest grandchild and genius baby that I was, came up with the nickname Gaga, and 23 years later, I can safely say I was a fan of Gaga before anyone else.

Usually, my family spends Thanksgiving at Gaga's house in Westchester, NY with our cousins, aunts and uncles, but this year was a much more intimate affair at our house in Westborough, MA with just my direct family and, of course, Gaga. Though we knew it would be small, that was no excuse to skimp on the food. No, no. Not when a Costanzo is in the house! (Costanzo is Gaga's last name). In case you couldn't tell, Costanzo is obviously Italian, so any family get together - especially Thanksgiving - is going to involve a lot of food... obviously.

We all joked about the different food theories between my mom's family (Italian) and my dad's (Irish). In the Costanzo house, there can never be enough food, which is probably why we had six desserts for the six of us on Thanksgiving! For the Colberts, what you have is always more than enough. (To give you an idea of what I mean, my dad's mother used to feed a family of seven children with ONE can of tuna!!!) And even though my dad's family is full of great cooks, I'm gonna have to go with the Costanzos on this one. You really can never have enough good food.

But regardless of how big or small that turkey is, or how many pies you make, the food is just a vehicle for bringing us all together. Making jokes, laughing together, and sharing memories of loved ones. Now that I live on my own, not so close to my family, I've really come to appreciate the time that we do spend together. And the fact that my family lives loves to eat, makes these times even better.

The superstar herself... Gaga! 

Michael and Emma hard at work icing cookies!

Baked brie en croute with walnuts and cinnamon

Haricots verts with roasted shallots and fennel

Dad and his pride and joy

More sides! Sweet potato pie, roasted butternut squash, and stuffing...mmm

Celebrate Good Food, C'mon!

For me, food is the answer to all of life's ups and downs: break ups, hangovers, birthdays, new jobs. There is no better way to feel better or to celebrate than through food. So upon starting my new job at Benchmarc Restaurants, you can bet I toasted myself with a delicious, gourmet meal.

On the eve before my new adventure, I was craving something elegant yet hearty. With some butternut squash in the fridge and arborio rice in my pantry, I decided that a butternut squash risotto would be the perfect self-celebratory dinner. After making a quick trip down to Westside Market to pick up a few other ingredients - vegetable stock, sage, and of course, white wine (for cooking and consuming) - I was ready to go.

This wasn't the first time I attempted butternut squash risotto. Unfortunately my first try last year at Christmas was a bit of a flop. First, the squash was already spoiled by the time I went to use it, so I was forced to improvise. Being my first time ever making risotto, I was definitely not experienced enough to do so. What I ended up with was a grayish, purple risotto (from red wine) and grains that were still quite starchy and chewy. My first risotto was as sad as a lump of coal on Christmas morning. But thankfully, I lived and I learned...

And this second attempt at butternut squash risotto certainly was something to celebrate! So creamy and hearty, with a touch of sweetness from the squash and vanilla bean, and a lovely earthiness from the sage. The dish was exactly what I had been craving and was luxurious enough to feel like I was "treating" myself even while I ate in my sweatpants and slippers.

Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
serves 4-6

Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable stock
1 vanilla bean
3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (I buy the pre-cut squash from Trader Joe's)
2 tbs butter, plus 1 tbs
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
8-10 sage leaves, roughly chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, heat stock over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and pod to the pot.
2. When the broth comes to a simmer, add the squash and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, move the squash to a side dish. Cover the broth and keep warm over low heat.
3.  In a large, heavy saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until it has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
4. Add 1/2 cup of the hot broth to the rice and stir until almost completely absorbed, about  2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding 1/2 cup of broth at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed in between additions. The rice should be creamy and tender to the bite when finished cooking. (If you're starting to run low on the broth and the rice is still too firm, just heat up more broth or water until the rice is cooked).
5. When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and discard the vanilla bean pod. Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese, sage, salt and remaining tablespoon of butter. Serve immediately.