Blog For A Cause…Pumpkin Sage Risotto with Johnsonville Sausage
I wish you could have had a bite of two of this risotto. Truth be told though, even if you had been here, my dinner cohort, Mrs. BranAppetit, would likely have gnawed your hand off for snitching a bite. She was a bit possessive of it, to say the very least.
Yeah…it was THAT good.
Creamy, full of the fall flavors of pumpkin and fresh sage. Earthy and filling, and laden with cheesy Johnsonville Sausage. You can make a meal out of it, no main dish required – as it stands alone. However, it would be ideal paired with an apple stuffed pork, or a grilled rosemary chicken. Actually, there are lots of options, but I’ll leave those up to you! We actually served Johnsonville Sausage Burgers on Pretzel Buns with ours – what a meal. It was like a “meat coma,” to quote Brandi.
That is, of course, the best kind of coma.
Pumpkin Sage Risotto with Sausage
Rating: 5
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 Quarts Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 pound mild ground sausage
2 cups arborio rice
8 fresh sage leaves, chiffonade
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup grated cheddar or Dubliner cheese
Instructions
Bring chicken stock to a boil.
In a separate heavy bottomed pot, sautee onions in the butter until translucent. Add in ground sausage and fry until no longer pink. Stir in half of the sage. Add in the rice and allow it to slightly brown, around two minutes.
Begin adding the stock 2 cups at a time, stirring after each addition. As the rice absorbs the stock, continue to add another 2 cups until nearly all of the stock has been used and the risotto is very creamy. Stir in pumpkin and remaining sage. Taste quickly, and season as needed.
Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Serve immediately.
You may have noticed I titled this post “Blog For A Cause.” So what’s with that, you ask? Well, let me fill you in.
A few weeks ago I was invited to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to meet the folks of Johnsonville. I loved having my friends Brandi, Paula from Bell’Alimento, and Jen from How To:Simplify there. It was a great couple of days, wrapping presents for the Salvation Army, eating, mingling, eating, cooking, eating, and learning all about the company while sharing the experience with other bloggers. We even cooked alongside Antonia Lofaso from Top Chef! While that was certainly a highlight, nothing outweighs what Johnsonville had up their sleeves for us…
Blog For A Cause.
Thanks to their generosity, I will be able to support one of my local charities, all in the name of She’s Becoming Doughmesstic. See? I’m Blogging. For A Cause. Up to $1000 will be donated to the United Fund of Giles County, in support of Hope House.
I am fortunate that I live in a community of close knit, family oriented people. When bad things happen, people pitch in, families take their own back into their nests, donations are made, fundraisers are held, things typically work out. However, not everyone always has that support system. Hope House is there to give shelter to hurting families until they can get back on their feet. A place to live, to eat, to shower, to feel human until they can help themselves. I know it is helping many folks, and I am happy to be able to give to them and in turn help those who are in need.
So how does this Blog For A Cause work?
That’s where YOU come in. For every comment left on this post that mentions ANYTHING you’ve made with sausage, Johnsonville will donate $50, up to $1000. SO I need at least 20 comments. Can you help? Sausage gravy? Sausage Biscuits? Whatever you’ve made counts. Just tell me here and together, we’ll pay it forward just a bit.
Thank you, Johnsonville, for the amazing experience in Wisconsin and for this wonderful opportunity. And thank YOU, sweet readers, for leaving me a comment!
