Question: Anyone else having trouble with this whole fall back situation? I’m tired, cranky and seem to be craving two things: Halloween candy and carbs. To help curb one of these cravings, I decided to make a pot of my go-to fall risotto Monday night. Risotto tends to be a little time-consuming but this recipe all-in-all took about 45 minutes to complete. Not too bad at all. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Risotto

*slight modifications from Ina Garten’s recipe in Family Style

Ingredients 

• 3 cups diced butternut squash {time-saver: purchase pre-cut squash}
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• Salt/pepper
• 6 cups of chicken stock {I tend to use a bit more}
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 1 minced shallot
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine {I used chardonnay}
• 1 tsp. saffron threads {the good stuff from Spain}
• 1 cup freshly graded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fresh spinach

Directions

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the pre-cut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 minutes, checking at 15 minute to toss.
3. Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan and simmer on low.
4. While squash is roasting and stock is simmering, melt tablespoon of butter in a dutch over pan, add the minced shallot and saute till translucent. Add in the rice and allow butter/shallot mixture to coat rice and “toast” for 2-3 minutes. This brings out the nuttiness in the rice.
5. Add the wine and cook for two minutes. Add is two ladles of stock and saffron threads. Stir and simmer till stock is absorbed. Continue this process until the rice is cooked and begin to take on a creamy texture. Typically, this takes about 6 to 8 cycles. I know it’s close when the rice takes on a creamy texture.
6. Off the heat, stir in butternut squash, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and season to taste. For presentation, I add a bit more cheese!

Good Morning, dear readers! As you’re reading this, I will be en route to the first stop on our European vacation, Brussels. I can’t tell you how excited I am. Things will be a little quiet around here until my return on Monday, September 14. But, please do follow along with me on Instagram. Talk soon!

As promised, today I’m sharing a few highlights from our Catskills trip. The Catskills are in the midst of a major PR moment thanks to The New York Times (52 Places to Go in 2015), Vogue and Travel + Leisure naming it as the place to go in 2015. I thought it only fitting to jump on the bandwagon.

Stay

I first saw The Graham and Co. on my dear friend Abby’s Instagram feed. From her photos, I knew it was a place I needed to visit in person. For this weekend getaway, K and I decided to invite our good friends T + R to join us. R, who like me, is all about the details, had the Graham on his list as well so they quickly accepted our invite. Within the first hour, R coined Insta-graham and Co. as every detail of this former Caribbean themed motel in Phoenicia is picture perfect!

Upon check-in, we were offered an all-American bud in a can. Awesome, right? The rooms were modest in size and featured an updated cabin chic feel, with wood slat walls, an animal hide rug, a tivoli radio and a bean bag chair. My favorite room by far, though, was The Den, a reading/game room housed in a converted garage. Check out a picture of it here. The Graham has a large green behind the pool {more on that in a minute} with a badminton court and fire pit. At night, we cuddled under a blanket by the camp fire to star gaze.

Do

The Graham provides complimentary cruisers. I highly recommend taking a ride through downtown Phoenicia. I promise, it won’t take too long at all and will make you feel like a kid again, especially since there are no hand brakes on these things!

Head north to Kaaterskills Falls for a beautiful {and not too strenuous} hike. A little less than 2 miles all in all and the view at the top is well worth it.

Lounge by the pool. I’ve never really been one for pools but The Graham may have just changed my mind. I think the inner tube may have something to do with it. There is also a hammock near the pool. A coveted spot for sure!

Eat

Our first night, we headed north on Rt. 28 to Big Indian, home of Peekamoose Restaurant. By far, my favorite meal of the trip. Housed in an old country farmhouse, their menu changes daily to incorporate the freshest ingredients available. I enjoyed their chopped salad and ricotta gnudi {almost as good as The Spotted Pig}. My favorite part? The fire pit outside where you can roast marshmallows. A perfect after dinner treat!

After a good night’s sleep in the mountain air,  we took a quick car ride to the famous Phoenicia Diner. A classic diner worth all the hype. The breakfast skillets were delicious!

For our last night in The Catskills, we traveled to Woodstock for dinner at Cucina, which I must admit was a huge disappointment. Thank goodness, we did a little pre-game at Tinker Taco Lab. Their chorizo and potato taco hit the spot. While exploring downtown Woodstock, I noted several places we should have gone. Shindig, Garden Cafe and Yum Yum Noodle Bar.

All in all, we had a great trip {see all our vacation photos on Instagram using the #mrktvaca}. Next time, I think we’ll stay at Hotel Dylan {the band suite looks pretty amazing} as Woodstock has much more to offer than Phoenicia. And we are definitely visiting a swimming hole! A 3 hour drive from Boston and 2 hour drive from NYC, I can certainly see why The Catskills are a go-to vacation spot. Catskills vs. Hamptons, though? I have to say I’ll always take the beach!