Sausage & Vegetable Risotto

• 5 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 3 sprigs fresh herbs basil, oregano, or thyme, optional
• 4 tablespoons Bertolli(R) Extra Light in Taste Olive Oil
• 1 yellow onion medium, finely chopped
• 19 ounces Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage Links or Ground Italian Sausage, removed from casing*, *Cut sausage link end to end, about three-quarters of the way through. Flip sausage link over, grasp casing and pull off.
• 2 cups white button mushrooms wiped clean and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• 2 cups arborio rice or medium grain risotto rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 pound asparagus stemmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup peas fresh shelled or frozen
• salt
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese or KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish
• 2 tablespoons Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Pour the stock into a sauce pan, if using fresh herbs, add them to the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover until ready to use.
2. In a large sauce pan, heat Bertolli(R) Extra Light in Taste Olive Oil over medium heat, add onion and saute until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the sausages, using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage as it cooks into bite size pieces until browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
5. Mix in the rice and cook, stirring until the kernels are hot and coated with oil; about another 2 minutes.
6. Add the wine and stir continuously until the liquid is absorbed.
7. Using a ladle, add the hot stock about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and making sure the stock has been absorbed before adding more to the rice. Continue adding 1/2 cup of stock and stirring rice constantly and gently.
8. When the rice is about half cooked or only 11/2 cups of the stock remains add the asparagus pieces into the rice and continue stirring.
9. When you have about 1 cup of liquid left, stir the peas into the rice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring. The risotto is done when the rice grains are creamy on the outside and firm yet tender to the bite, (about 20 to 25 minutes total).
10. When the risotto is just right, remove it from the heat and stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese.
11. Spoon into large soup bowls, top with KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese and serve immediately.
12. For the finishing touch, drizzle with Bertolli(R) Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
13. *Rice varies, so you may not need all of the stock or you may need more. If more liquid is required you can add simmering water in place of the extra broth. You should taste for doneness along the way.

chicken stock, herbs basil, olive oil, onion, italian sausage, white button mushrooms, arborio rice, white wine, peas, salt, parmesan cheese, olive oil

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Sausage-_-Vegetable-Risotto-971205 (may not work)