My favorite risotto

I have mentioned before that I just love Ina Garten. I watch her show every day and have nearly 80 saved on my DVR. She is wonderful. I'll often use concepts of her cooking and try my hand at a variation. The other day, she was cooking with butternut squash. I've never eaten a butternut squash and wanted to challenge myself. I roasted it (like Ina does) in the oven with a little olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Then I had the idea to put it into risotto (not that novel of an idea) until I decided to add roasted asparagus too! Holy smokes, flavor explosion! The most delicious risotto I've ever had!

The picture isn't that appetizing but trust you me, it was!

Just to recap:

1. Risotto: saute onion in 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter, add 3 cloves minced garlic. Add 2 cups arborio rice and stir until rice turns golden color. Deglaze pot with 1/4 cup apple cider. Stir continuously. (In a separate pot), bring 5 cups of homemade veggie stock to simmer. Spoon 1-2 ladle-fulls of broth into rice at a time, stir constantly to avoid burning/sticking to pot. When liquid is absorbed, add another ladle. Keep stiring. Continue until rice is soft (approximately 20 minutes). After rice is tender, add 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and stir.

2. Butternut squash: Wash and peel, dice into 1" x 1" cubes and put on sheet pan with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs maple syrup, salt and pepper. Stir. Put into oven on 375 until soft (approximately 20 minutes), stir once around 10 minutes. If looking  a little dried out when you go to stir, add a little more olive oil and maple syrup.

3. Asparagus: Wash and pop off stalky ends. Lay on sheet pan and drizzle with 2tbs olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Put in oven at 375 until stalky ends are easy to fork and tips are slightly charred (approximately 15 minutes). Flip over once during cook time. Take out and splash with lemon juice and chop.

Spoon heaping amount into bowl with butternut squash and asparagus, top with shredded parmesan and enjoy! It may sound weird to eat something made with maple syrup and lemon but you really can't taste either, it just adds a different layer of flavor! So yummy!