I am at a loss for an idea for dinner tonight....

...I really hate when that happens. I have been making a monthly menu for 2 years now and I like the structure of planning my shopping list and the money I save only buying what I need. This month just got away from me totally. The heat stopped me from grilling foods that require a long time out by the grill. So 15 minute hamburgers and steaks were a good choice this week. It doesn't look like it's getting any cooler, although this is the first day I have the windows open and there is a breeze. It's not humid and I finally could trim the lawn and garden. Perfect day to mow the lawn. Maybe I will before it gets too hot.

Dinner???? Back to deciding. Maybe by typing as I go I will come up with something.

Do I want to grab a jar of my sauce with some sausage and orecchiette I bought the other day, or do I defrost a chicken breast to grill and make a sauce to go with it. I also have some raviolis in the freezer and I also found diced butternut squash in there.

I know!! I bought a box of carnaroli rice to see if it is better than arborio rice so I will make a butternut squash risotto with grilled sausages. I have an opened carton of chicken stock I need to use, a bag of dried mushrooms and a sage bush just begging to be pruned.

Carnaroli is a medium-grained rice native to the Novara and Vercelli regions of northern Italy. Carnaroli is traditionally used for making risotto, differing from the more common arborio rice due to its higher starch content and firmer texture, as well as having a longer grain. Carnaroli rice keeps its shape better than other forms of rice during the slow cooking required for making risotto due to higher quantities of amylose present within. It is often described as being a "superfino" rice or as "the king of rices".

Guess what's for dinner tonight? LOL


Sausage, Squash and Mushroom Risotto
* 3 cups chicken broth
* 1 cup Carnaroli rice or short grain brown rice
* 1/2 cup roasted butternut squash
* 1 cup Vidalia onion, diced
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 4 links Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1/2 cup soaked, drained and chopped dried porcini mushrooms
* 1 cup parma cheese, grated
* 4 whole sage leaves
* Butter and EVOO
* 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese (optional)

I sauteed the sausage in 1 tbls of olive oil.


I mean brown it. Not just cook it, brown it. Should take at least 20 minutes.


Remove with a slotted spoon and with paper towels, blot any excess oil. See all those brown bits on the bottom? That's flavor, baby. We want that.



Add 1 tablespoon of oil and butter and do the same to the onions. Then add the garlic for 1 minute.


Add rice, sausage and sage leaves to pan. Then add 1 ladle of stock and simmer. When liquid is absorbed by rice, add more. Repeat until the last ladle of stock. Add the roasted butternut cubes.

Mantecare of butter and cheese. This is the best part. Off heat, add cheese. Stir until incorporated. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time until you can literally smell the butter. Serve hot with extra cheese.
A good Orvieto or Pinot Grigio and dinner is served!!!