Tasty Tuesdays: Farro with Butternut Squash & Gruyere

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

Have you ever cooked with farro before?  I hadn't, and I was really intrigued with this recipe from the January 2012 issue of Cooking Light.  { click here for the original recipe }



This recipe is like a risotto, except you use farro in place of the traditional arborio rice.

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)

- 1 cup uncooked farro

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 1/2 cup white wine

- 4 cups water, divided

- 4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash

- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup packed)

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add leek; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

2.  Add farro and garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3.  Stir in wine; cook 1 minute or until wine evaporates. Add 1 cup water; cook 8 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently.

4.  Add 2 more cups water, 1 cup at a time, stirring until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 30 minutes total). Stir in remaining 1 cup water, squash, sage, salt, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until squash is just tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese; sprinkle with nuts.

Serve immediately.

I really enjoyed this meal - it was really hearty and made the perfect winter dinner.

What did you cook this week?

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Tasty Tuesdays: Celebrating One Year!

As I was thinking about Tasty Tuesday this week, I realized that we have reached the one year anniversary of it being here @ 33 Shades of Green!  Thanks to all of you who come here each week to link up your wonderful recipes and those of you who stop by just to take a look at all the recipes.  And of course, thanks to Alicia of Project Alicia for passing along Tasty Tuesdays to me.

I thought it might be fun to take a look back at some of the recipes I've posted over the past year.

{ Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Pasta }

I loved this pasta....I really need to make it again!

{ Beef, Cheddar, and Potato Pie }



Another favorite that I really want to make in the next couple of weeks.  A perfect winter meal.

{ Roasted Beet Salad }

I've been making this a lot lately....I never get sick of it.

{ Pizza Margherita }

How can you go wrong with this pizza?  You can't!  It's delicious and I loved the tomato sauce.

{ Spring Green Risotto }



Amazing risotto.

{ Shrimp Pad Thai }


{ Blueberry Crumb Bars }

These dessert bars taste like Summer.  I'm actually still enjoying these.  I wrapped individual squares in wax paper and froze them in a plastic freezer bag.  They still taste great even after being in the freezer.  When I want one, I just pull it out and let is defrost on the counter.

{ Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars }

{ Banana Cream Pie }

 

Those are just a few of my favorites.  And now, I am really hungry! 

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Paper Craft: Home is Where the Heart Is

I made this easy project for my sister for her birthday.  Even though she lives in Chicago, she is definitely a Michigan girl at heart!

First, I used Google to search for a Michigan image.  I searched for "Michigan map outline" and then clicked on 'images" and had lots of options to choose from.  After I found an image I liked, I printed out a few different sizes until I found one that worked.  Once I had the right size, I printed out the image on card stock.

Then, I cut out the image, careful to cut out all of the black lines..

I used tape adhesive to attach my image to a piece of card stock.



Then I cut out a heart and attached.

I made this little banner on my computer:



I attached the banner to the mat and framed it up.  Pretty easy project, right?

My sister loved it.  In fact, it may have even brought a tear to her eye.

In completely unrelated news, I have one week at my new job under my belt!  So far, it's really been great.  Here is a portion of our interiors library:

I hope you are having a great week!

Tasty Tuesdays: Spaghetti Carbonara

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

Spaghetti Carbonara is one of the easiest pasta recipes I know.  Chances are, you already have everything you need to make it.  Don't let the simple ingredients fool you though - it's an amazing dish!

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 4 ounces bacon or pancetta, chopped

- 2 eggs

- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

- 1 pound spaghetti or linguine

- salt and pepper to taste

1.  Combine olive oil and bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally until bacon is cooked.

2.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add pasta to cook when water starts to boil.  Also, warm a large bowl by filling it with hot water.  Set aside.

3.  When the pasta is almost done cooking, add peas and cook for a few minutes more until the peas are done.  Meanwhile, beat the eggs and Parmesan together in warmed bowl.  When pasta & peas are done, drain and immediately toss with the egg and Parmesan mixture.  Add the bacon and any remaining fat in the skillet.  Add lots of pepper and salt to taste.  Serve immediately, garnishing with additional Parmesan if desired.

{ recipe adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. }

Buon Appetito!

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Christmas Wrappings 2011

OK, so I know Christmas is over and it's almost the  middle of January, but I really wanted to post how I wrapped my presents this year.

Every year I pick a theme for my wrappings and go from there.  This year it was red, brown, and white.

I made the gift tag above by cutting a rectangle out of card stock, cutting the top corners on an angle, punched a hole at the top and added the white hole protector sticker (can't remember what those are called for sure; you find them in the office supply section), adding a small strip of decorative scrapbook paper at the bottom, and then adding a letter sticker.

I also really like buying chipboard letters and adding decorative scrapbook paper.



{ the burlap ribbon I used got all over the place - see it on the present above? }

I found a really pretty piece of scrapbook paper with a poinsettia pattern all over it.  I cut the poinsettias out and then added glitter.

I like to dress up plain, brown paper lunch bags.

Key rings are a supply I always have on hand for wrapping.  Just add a sticker or write out something and you are good to go.



No more Christmas until next winter, I promise!

Tasty Tuesdays: Cranberry Ginger Fizz Cocktail

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays & Happy New Year!

I had a great Christmas and New Years and spent a lot of time with family.  I didn't do too much cooking so I'm going to share this cocktail my sister and I made for our New Year's Eve party.  I have the recipe pinned on one of my Pinterest boards and it is originally from Creative Culinary.  We modified it and used vodka instead of gin and tried to simplify the directions.

{ makes approximately 6 drinks }

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 3/4 cup water

- 1 cup fresh cranberries

- 1 lemon, sliced

- 1/2 orange, sliced

- 2 cups vodka

- Ginger ale

- Mint sprigs, for garnish

- Extra cranberries, for garnish



1.  Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan and stir until sugar is dissolved.

2.  Add the cranberries and simmer for 2-3 minutes until cranberries burst.  Remove from heat and let cool.

3.  Add lemon and orange slices.  Use a wood spoon or muddler to mash the fruit.

4.  Stir in vodka and let steep for at least 5 minutes.

5.  Strain liquid into pitcher.

6.  Fill glasses with small amount of ice.  Add ginger ale to each glass.  A generous splash will do but you can vary depending on taste.

 

7.  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add portion of cranberry vodka mixture.  Shake and pour into glasses.  Repeat until cranberry vodka mixture is used up.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Now it's your turn - what did you cook this week?

 

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