Risotto with collard greens, butternut squash and white wine.

A more complex recipe, but really delicious. I got this from the NY Times Recipes for Health section.

Peel, deseed and dice 2 small or one large butternut squash. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 425 deg F for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Get a large pot of water boiling. When it is boiling, add 1 lb of destemmed collard greens and blanch for 4 minutes. Plunge into ice water, then squeeze dry and chop roughly.

In a large pot, get 2 quarts water and stock simmering. In another large pot, thinly slice and saute one medium onion over medium-high heat. Add 3 small garlic cloves. When the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 1/2 C arborio or carnaroli rice. Stir until rice is oily and grains are separate. Add 1/2 C dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio would be good) and allow the wine to bubble slowly with the rice. Add the 1/3 of the squash and all of the collards and stir until mixed. When the rice is about dry, add 1-2 ladlesful of the stock, each time stirring occasionally until the rice is nearly dry. This should take 20-30 minutes - the rice should be tender and chewy, also creamy. Turn the heat to low, add 1/2 C of the stock, 3-4 tbsp fresh chopped parsley and 1/2 C grated parmesan. Add salt or pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Easy Improved cream of mushroom soup II

Cream of mushroom is generally pretty mediocre from a can, but it's a good base to make a great soup from.

In a large pot, saute 1 medium onion, sliced thinly, with a variety of mushrooms (I use portobello and white) sliced thin. When the onions are translucent, turn the heat down and add the condensed soup + 1 can of water or milk. Whisk the onions, mushrooms and soup until fully blended. Add 1/2 package frozen cauliflower and 1/2 package frozen broccoli. Keep heat at medium, cover until soup is bubbling. When soup is bubbling gently, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve, garnishing with cheddar if desired.