Butternut Squash Risotto

Today was sublime...the kind of sublime that can only be appreciated when juxtaposed with what feels like months (and months) of non-stop work. My gratitude arrived the moment I woke up and stared at my alarm clock. 10am! The sun was shining and that crisp Fall air put a pep in my step. I had the entire day to myself—no work, no obligations—and I felt relieved to have this precious time to refill my well.

I spent the afternoon in my kitchen, experimenting and channeling my energy and inspiration from the autumn weather into something I hoped would taste as good as I felt. Craving a good, earthy dish expressive of the season, I decided to make butternut squash risotto. It's still light, like the weather, but introduces the heartier tastes of Fall.

Everyone needs to know how to make risotto. I know...you're scared, but you need to roll up your sleeves and try. You must, otherwise you're going to miss out on this killer recipe (and succumb to your limited beliefs about your abilities in the kitchen). I'm not sure which is worse.

The key to risotto is practice, patience, and faith. You need to get used to the feel of risotto—its nuances, personality, and texture—and so you should commit to making it often. The beauty of risotto is that is has hundreds of incarnations and so you can change the stock and the accessory ingredients to reflect your tastes. Patience is a virtue; it's about 30 minutes of non-stop action start to finish. Faith comes in towards the end, right at the point when you're convinced it's never going to come together and that you should quit while you're ahead. That's when you have to keep moving forward. It's just like in yoga: when you come up against a challenge, do more of the right thing.

The foundation of risotto is actually pretty simple. It's important to have all of your mise en place prepared because once you begin, you can't stop. Cut one butternut squash into 1-inch cubes and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Finely chop one shallot. Pour 7 cups of stock (your choice: chicken or vegetable) into a pot and bring to a gentle boil.

Melt 2 T of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven (note: put "le Crueset" on your holiday wish list) and sauté the shallots plus 5-10 bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Once the shallots are translucent, add 1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice and toss for 3-5 minutes. This is the moment when the rice takes on the flavors in the pot, so as you begin to experiment with risotto, you can add different herbs and spices at this point in the process. (Note: saffron would also work well with the butternut squash.)

Now we need to seal in the flavors. Add 1/2 cup of Prosecco and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed. You can also use white wine, but my Italian friend, Pietro, taught me how to make risotto using Prosecco and I think it adds a subtle sweetness, creating a lighter dish.

The rest is history. Add between 1/2 - 1 cup of the hot stock at a time, stirring constantly until all of the broth is absorbed. You will most likely end of using about 5 of the initial 7 cups of stock, but it's always good to have extra liquid available, just in case things don't quite turn out as planned. Taste the risotto as you go, testing the flavor and checking to see where you are in the cooking process. You want the rice to be cooked through but still al dente. The risotto will start coming together gradually, but by the last ladle of stock you will see the signature, creamy texture of a risotto dish. Take one last taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper.

Add the roasted butternut squash and a heaping pile of parmesan cheese (how much, exactly, is up to you). I used vegetable stock today, but it would also taste divine with chicken stock and maybe some sauteed pancetta.

My final thoughts regarding your adventure in risotto are to draw on your experiences from the yoga mat. It's like coming up into a handstand: don't just sit there, strategizing the pose and psyching yourself out. You've gotta kick, dammit. You'll have as much fun with your failures as you will with your triumphs, so crack open a bottle of Prosecco and start cooking!

Homemade Cards

These homemade cards are a great alternative to the expensive options at many stores. I love sifting through vintage photographs at flea markets where you can find sweet, unique, and sometimes hilarious snapshots that make perfect cards for any occasion.

This one is priceless...

I buy blank paper stock and photo corners at Paper Presentation. They make hundreds of different colors, sizes, and shapes.

Tie a stack of homemade cards with a ribbon and you have a beautiful, thoughtful gift.

My Beloved Egg and Cheese

Someone just recently asked me to name my favorite food of all time. That's a big question. At first I felt a surprising amount of pressure to come up with something impressive—something that would wow their pants off—but then, after I took a step back, I realized that my favorite food is actually quite humble in nature. My heart is eternally devoted to the egg and cheese sandwich. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It would be my last meal. One might say I'm a connoisseur.

One of my favorite incarnations of the classic egg and cheese sandwich is this Italian-inspired slice of perfection. It's a great meal for brunch or a simple dinner. It couldn't be simpler to make: delicately poached eggs served over garlic-smeared bread smothered in marina sauce and topped with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Need I say more? It is beyond divine, good for the soul, and exactly what you should make when you need to smile from somewhere deep inside.

Recipe inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis

Strawberry Shortcake

Today's the perfect day to enjoy a classic American dessert (and one of my all-time favorites): Strawberry Shortcake! I love this recipe because it's quick and easy to make. Chances are you already have all of the ingredients in your kitchen.

As with any baking endeavor, it's helpful to get organized. First things first: place one stick of unsalted butter into the freezer about a half hour before you're ready to start. Make sure your kitchen counters are clean (to roll out the dough) or if you're short on counter space, place a sheet of floured parchment paper over a large cutting board. Clean and cut the strawberries, to which I highly recommend you add a tiny bit of crushed black pepper and a few teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. Trust me.

Now we're ready to start! Mix 2 cups plus 2 T flour, 1/2 t salt, 1 T baking powder, and 3 T sugar in a food processor. Cut your frozen butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture, pulsing until the butter is the size of peas. It's important that you can still see chunks of butter in the dough because when the ice cold butter hits the hot oven the water content from the butter will quickly evaporate, creating a flaky and scrumptious shortcake. If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture and use your hands to mix everything together.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg into a 1/2 cup light cream. (I didn't have any "light" cream, so I just mixed heavy cream with the 2% milk I had in the fridge ... et voilà, light cream!) Add the creamy egg mixture to the food processor, little by little, until the dough comes together. Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured counter (or cutting board) and press into a flat ball with your hands. Be careful not to overwork the dough; it's not a pizza. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough until it's about a 1/2 inch thick. Use the rim of a drinking glass to cut out your shortcakes and then transfer them to a cookie sheet. Place them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to allow the dough to chill after having been worked and heated by your hands. I've never regarded the timeframe as an exact science, and I usually take them out of the fridge when I start getting impatient. This method seems to work for me!

While your shortcakes are chilling, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Right before you're ready to put them in the oven, brush a little whisked egg white over the shortcakes and sprinkle with sugar, giving them a sparkly crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they're lightly golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

To serve, slice the shortcakes lengthwise and place a spoonful of strawberries onto the bottom half. Add a healthy (read generous) dollop of whipped cream and place the "lid" on top, creating a strawberry shortcake sandwich. The results are over-the-moon delicious. You will want to put on your bathing suit and dive in. Happy Fourth of July!

Recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson.

Bucks County Weekend

Bucks County is one of my favorite places to visit when I need to just get away. Besides being the home of my beloved Hamilton's Grill Room (and only an hour from Manhattan), Bucks County has tons of shops, activities, and scenic beauty to brighten your heart for the weekend.

The Woolverton Inn is our home away from home. Carolyn and Bob are the doting innkeepers of this gorgeous estate in Stockton, New Jersey. The rooms are so cozy and the surrounding countryside invites a much-needed exhale from city life. We stay in the Garden Cottage, where pets are allowed. Ellie loves the accommodations.

Also in Stockton is Phillips' Fine Wines, an experience in and of itself. The owner, Dick Phillips, is the most delightful man; he gave us a tour of the store, which feels more like a wine library with its tiny rooms and hidden hallways. My eyes lit up when he told us stories about Julia Child and her frequent visits to Phillips' when Dick was a kid (Julia and her beloved, Paul, were married in Stockton). Perhaps she came here to buy those "full-bodied young red wine[s]" with which she would make her famous Boeuf Bourgingnon ...

Right next store to Phillips' is the Stockton Farmers' Market, home to local vendors selling everything from fresh produce to specialty products. Open only on the weekends, the market is a feast for the eyes (and the stomach)!

Nearby in Lambertville I found a great housewares shop called Zinc Home and Garden (74 Bridge Street). The modern farmhouse style was right up my alley! You'll find an amazing collection of industrial and vintage pieces displayed with an inspiring dose of creativity.

When you're done with your shopping I highly recommend a walk along the Delaware River—the perfect Sunday morning activity before heading home—where you can take in the views and connect with things exactly as they are.

Perhaps the greatest part of any weekend adventure is the fact that you can arrive without an agenda. Billy and I love the aimless wandering and the process of making a new place our own. In New York I often find it hard to separate myself from the rhythm of the city, whereas in a foreign town I can be immersed in a new place and yet remain present in my own experience. After a weekend in Bucks County I feel relaxed and completely reconnected. I hope you find the same!

Hamilton's Grill Room

There are those meals that are so extraordinary—the food, the ambiance, the experience—that you just have to thank the chef. I had the pleasure of thanking such a chef after enjoying an amazing meal at a charming restaurant we found in Lambertville, New Jersey. Hamilton's Grill Room is tucked away at the end of a small dirt alley, the likes of which usually appear suspect but often hide a town's most prized gems. The restaurant is perched on the banks of the Delaware River and shares its alley with a quirky yet sophisticated bar, The Boat House, where I felt transported back to a different time (think old-fashioned cocktail hour meets nautical shack).

As I walked through the door into Hamilton's Grill Room, my eyes were immediately drawn to an upside-down tree hanging from the ceiling. Creatively smothered in tiny white lights, the whimsical chandelier cast a glow over the already cozy space. It was a cold January night and I sought refuge next to the fire, warming up with a little help from the bottle of Cabernet we purchased at Phillip's Fine Wines. What I loved most about this restaurant was how it seemed to be the anchor of the community; regulars settled into their favorite tables and dove into genuine conversation with the staff, who greeted each patron with the kind of warmth you'd expect from a good friend. A fixture in the lives of Lambertvillians for over twenty years, Hamilton's feels like a home away from home.

Five months later, my genuine gratitude for that unforgettable meal led to an inspiring interview with Chef Mark Miller. I sat down with Mark at his post (and the heart of the restaurant): the grill. With only a few stools at the small island overlooking the hearth, I couldn't help but think that these were the best seats in the house. Mark agreed, adding, "I love meeting the customers. It's a great set-up." We talked about food and family as I watched him prepare for the dinner rush. I felt truly inspired by Mark because his love of cooking goes beyond the process itself. His yoga is the joy of feeding others and the communion that happens when people gather around a table and enjoy good food.

Listening to Mark describe his history with Hamilton's Grill Room, it became obvious that it was love at first sight. "I worked across the river at Martine's for a while, then someone told me that there was a job opening at Hamilton's. I met Jim and saw the way the food was prepared and fell in love ... big time." Miller's passion is palpable and has clearly played a role in catapulting his career from formally untrained cook to Executive Chef and respected pillar of this beloved restaurant.

Our interview took place during the staff dinner, which was cooked by none other than the owner, Jim Hamilton—a Broadway set designer turned restauranteur. (Jim's daughter, NYTimes best-selling author Gabrielle Hamilton, owns her own restaurant, Prune, in New York.) Mark told me that Jim uses Saturday nights to experiment in the kitchen, testing recipes for the menu. As I observed these two men interact I could sense the deep respect and fierce loyalty Mark holds for Jim. In that moment I understood why I had fallen in love with this place: it's all about family.

I asked Mark about his favorite flavor combinations, a question I was inspired to ask after watching him rub the most amazing rosemary garlic marinade over the evening's lamb chops. "Anchovies," he responded, which served as an amusing reminder to myself of how easy it is to get stuck in flavor ruts; his response caught me totally off guard as I had never considered anchovies to be a flavor! "This restaurant was built on anchovies," he explained (referring to Jim Hamilton's famous Shrimp with Anchovy Butter appetizer).

He revealed that appetizers are, in fact, his favorite dish to cook. "It's the first thing people eat and it sets the tone for the entire meal, " Miller explained. He also articulated the importance of quantity, saying, "I like to leave people wanting one more bite." Mark recommended the appetizer special for that evening: fresh artichokes from California stuffed with crabmeat. Phenomenal.

Our meal was amazing. Billy, being the true cowboy that he is, ordered the cowboy steak which was prepared in a bordelaise sauce and served with onion rings (which were replaced—thanks to the kind souls in the kitchen—with Billy's mandatory steak accompaniment: mashed potatoes). I ordered the lamb chops and each bite literally melted in my mouth.

It should also be said that the staff is beyond lovely. Everyone from the manager, Reed, and the hostess, Nancy, to the to the wonderful waiters (ask for James or Chris) went above and beyond the call of duty to make us feel at home. I haven't found a restaurant like this in a long time and I'm looking forward to cherishing heartfelt meals at Hamilton's again and again.

Anniversary Dinner

Billy and I celebrated our anniversary last week with a homemade dinner and a great bottle of wine. I have to say, it was exactly what I wanted—simple, delicious, loving—and I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the evening.

On the menu? Mussels in white wine, shallots, and garlic over linguine. I made a frisée salad with warmed cherry tomatoes and a simple vinaigrette. Only now will I admit that I used Vegenaise in the dressing. Had I mentioned this the other night Billy would have vetoed the salad on mere principal. Hey, I've learned to be cunning in the kitchen over the years.

Give the mussels a good cleaning. If you find any open mussels, give them a good tap on your kitchen counter; any that don't close on their own need to be thrown away.

While you're boiling the linguine, finely chop 2 shallots, 5 cloves of garlic, and a 1/2 cup of parsley. Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté for a few minutes until soft. Then add the garlic, stirring constantly, careful not to burn.

Now for the moment of truth! Dump the mussels into the pot along with 1/2 cup white wine, half the the parsley you chopped, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Discard any shells that haven't opened.

Plate the linguine and pour the mussels on top. You can thicken the sauce with a tablespoon or so of butter. Sprinkle with parsley.

This meal couldn't be any simpler. You will love it. Bon appetite!