This delicious, Southwestern-inspired chowder is hearty, slightly smoky, and a little spicy…perfect for a chilly Autumn evening!

I made a few changes to the recipe but nothing that drastically altered the final dish. Instead of a jalapeno chile, I used a little more chopped chipotle chile (which adds both heat and smoky flavor to the soup), a little poblano pepper, and I substituted canned diced tomatoes for the fresh. For the herbs, I either use parsley or cilantro — both are good. Serve with a green salad and cornbread and you’ve got a delicious meal!

Smoky Chicken Chowder
-adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Makes about 8 cups (or 6-8 servings).

3 medium onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large russet (baking) potato
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaved parsley leaves
1 teaspon (or more to taste) canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce*, minced fine
1 1/2 whole boneless cooked chicken breasts**(about 1 pound), skin and fat removed and meat cut into 1/2-inch dice

*available at Hispanic markets and some specialty foods shops

In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook the onions in oil over moderate heat stirring, until softened. Peel and cut potato into 1/4-inch dice. To kettle add potato, garlic, and jalapeño and cook stirring, 1 minute. Stir in flour, and cook over moderately low heat, stirring 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 cups broth and heavy cream and bring to a boil stirring. Add tomatoes, corn, Monterey Jack, parsley, chipotle, and chicken and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding enough of remaining cup broth to thin soup to desired consistency, 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Tags: Chicken, chicken broth, chipotle chile, chowder, corn, cream, Monterey Jack cheese, soup, Southwestern

Although it’s officially spring, the cool weather here in the Pacific Northwest means it’s still soup season. A few days ago I made this super quick and easy Asian Dumpling Soup when I was home with the sniffles. Recipes like this are the reason I always like to have a package of potstickers in the freezer. This simple soup consists of fresh veggies, your favorite potstickers and a light sesame-flavored broth. To bump up the flavor, add some fresh garlic or ginger to the simmering broth and a little Asian hot sauce for kick.

Asian Dumpling Soup 
-adapted recipe from Gourmet Magazine (November 2005)

We love the homey quality and clean flavors of this colorful soup. Makes 4 main-course servings. 

1 (15- to 16-oz) package frozen Asian dumplings (also called pot stickers; about 20 to 24)
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (40 fl oz)
3 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (from 1 head)
2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1 cup shredded or matchstick (1/8-inch-thick) carrots (from a 10-oz bag)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Cook dumplings in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling unsalted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. (Cut into a dumpling to check filling.) Remove pot from heat and keep dumplings warm in hot water.

While dumplings cook, bring chicken broth to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot. Add cabbage, mushrooms, and carrots and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes, then add peas and cook 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, sesame oil, salt, and pepper and boil until all vegetables are tender, about 1 minute.

Divide dumplings among 4 soup bowls with a slotted spoon. Ladle soup over dumplings.

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Tags: Asian dumpling soup, carrots, chicken broth, napa cabbage, peas, potstickers, sesame oil, shiitake mushrooms

I had a friend over for lunch the other day and served her this hearty stew filled with Asian-flavored turkey meatballs and crunchy vegetables in a light coconut broth. It was colorful, flavorful and satisfying. I only wish I had doubled the recipe! 

When I was at the store buying ingredients for the soup, the Roma tomatoes were pretty sad looking so I went with 3/4 cup of canned diced tomatoes (drained) instead. For a fun presentation, eat the soup with Asian soup spoons (available at many kitchen stores and Asian markets). Enjoy!

Singapore Turkey Stew
-adapted from The Sunset Cookbook (Oxmoor House, 2010)

Notes: If you can’t find Chinese five spice, substitute equal parts ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground anise seeds.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound ground lean turkey
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice (see notes)
1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 can (13 1/2 oz.) coconut milk
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) fat-skimmed chicken broth
1 head bok choy (12 oz.), rinsed, stem end trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (14 oz.) baby corn, drained
2 Roma tomatoes (about 8 oz. total), rinsed, cored, and chopped
(I used 3/4 cup diced canned tomatoes, drained)
1/4 cup drained canned sliced water chestnuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, five spice, chili flakes, and salt. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Pour flour onto a large rimmed plate and roll balls in flour to coat lightly.

Pour oil into a 4- to 5-quart nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer. Cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned all over and barely pink in the center (cut to test), 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

Add garlic and ginger to pan and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add coconut milk, broth, and meatballs; bring to a simmer. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.

Stir in bok choy, baby corn, tomatoes, water chestnuts, green onions, lime juice, soy sauce and cook, stirring often, until bok choy leaves are wilted and stems are barely tender to bite, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve from pan.

Tags: baby corn, bok choy, chicken broth, Chinese five-spice, coconut milk, fresh ginger, ground turkey, Singapore Turkey Stew, turkey meatballs, water chestnuts

My first thought was, “Do Italian people really eat this at weddings?” I’m not Italian so it’s an honest question, don’t you think? After a little research, though, I learned that the “wedding” part refers to the fact that the vegetables and meat go well together in this Italian-American soup (hence the marriage). Whatever the history, it’s a great recipe!

Although the broth is fairly simple, it’s the meatballs that are the star of the show here. While they consist of typical meatball ingredients, the addition of Italian sausage and fresh garlic adds a lot of flavor! Baking them in the oven cuts down on prep time, and results in tender and delicious meatballs. I couldn’t fit all the meatballs on one baking sheet so I used two baking sheets and rotated them on the racks halfway through baking.

The store I was at didn’t have fresh dill so I used a heaping teaspoon or so of dried dill. Right before serving, I also stirred a tablespoon of pesto into the soup to bump up the fresh herb flavor. Garnish each bowl of soup with a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredientsby Ina Garten

Who likes standing at the stove rolling meatballs around in hot oil? Not to mention that I can never get them evenly browned. I discovered that chicken meatballs mixed with good Italian sausage have great flavor and they’re so much easier to make because you bake them in the oven. This rich chicken soup is filled with lots of good things: spinach, pasta, and plenty of those spicy meatballs.

Serves: 8 servings.

For the meatballs:
3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound chicken Italian sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup 1/4-inch diced carrots (3 carrots)
3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced celery (2 stalks)
10 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: the pasta will thicken the soup as it sits; just thin it with some water or chicken stock.

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Tags: carrots, celery, chicken broth, chicken Italian sausage, ground chicken, Ina Garten, Italian Wedding Soup, meatballs, onions, parmesan cheese

If you’re looking for a new way to eat winter squash, you must try this Thai-inspired recipe! The velvety texture of the butternut squash and coconut soup is brought to life by the vibrant flavors of the chopped peanut, lime zest and basil gremolata. Typically, gremolata is an Italian condiment of lemon zest, garlic and parsley but it gets a fun, updated twist here.

This recipe calls for using a slow cooker but I skipped that method and made it in a saucepan on the stove. I simmered the cubed squash in the broth and coconut milk for about 30 minutes (until tender) then pureed it with my immersion blender (aka handheld blender). Spoon some of the Thai gremolata onto each serving and you’ve got a tasty light meal.

Note: as with any hot soup, let it cool before processing in a blender or you might spray scalding soup all over you and your kitchen. It’s one of the reasons I use an immersion blender for this kind of recipe…it can be blended hot right in the soup pot.

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata
-recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Slow Cook: 4 to 5 hours (low) or 2 to 2 1/2 hours (high)
 
2  lb.  butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2  cups  chicken broth
1  14-oz. can  unsweetened coconut milk
1/4  cup  finely chopped onion
1  Tbsp.  packed brown sugar
1  Tbsp.  fish sauce or soy sauce
1/2  to 1 tsp.  Asian chili sauce (Sriracha) sauce or crushed red pepper
2  Tbsp.  lime juice
1  recipe  Thai Gremolata, recipe below

In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker stir together squash, broth, coconut milk, onion, brown sugar, fish sauce, and Asian chili sauce.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

Use an immersion blender to carefully blend soup until completely smooth. (Or, transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender; or use a potato masher to mash mixture nearly smooth.) Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai Gremolata. If desired, serve with lime wedges.

Thai Gremolata: In a small bowl stir together 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, and 1 tablespoon finely shredded lime peel.

Tags: butternut squash soup with Thai gremolata, chicken broth, chopped peanuts, coconut milk, lime zest, soy sauce, Sriracha

I love pork tenderloin because it’s difficult to mess up. This recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce is a perfect holiday dish because it’s easy, delicious, festive looking, and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed more people. The slightly sweet, slightly savory balsamic-cranberry sauce is a great compliment to the tender roasted pork.

It took longer than 2 minutes to get a good sear on the pork. To save time, you can start the sauce while the pork is browning. For the cranberry sauce, I used some leftover homemade Triple Cranberry Sauce which is lightly flavored with orange…it was perfect with the rosemary, onion and balsamic vinegar in the sauce. You could probably even make the sauce a day ahead to simplify things, then all you’d need to do is roast the pork, heat the sauce, and make a side dish or two. I served the tenderloin with bread stuffing and Green Beans with Caramelized Red Onion and Mushroom Topping.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine, November 1998

To round out this menu, serve roasted squash, corn muffins and boiled green beans with orange zest. End with vanilla ice cream topped with warm chestnuts in syrup.

Yield: Serves 2, can be doubled

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 8- to 10-ounce pork tenderloin
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Sear pork on all sides, about 2 minutes. Place skillet with pork in oven. Roast pork until thermometer inserted into center registers 155°F, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and rosemary; sauté until onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add broth, cranberry sauce and vinegar and whisk until cranberry sauce melts, about 2 minutes.

Transfer pork to work surface. Scrape any juices from large skillet into cranberry mixture. Boil until sauce has reduced enough to coat spoon thickly, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slice pork and serve with sauce.

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Tags: balsamic cranberry sauce, balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, Christmas, cranberries, holidays, onion, pork tenderloin, whole berry cranberry sauce

If you’ve got leftover bird to use up or you just need a good chili recipe, you’ve got to try this White Turkey Chili. After his first bite, Husband exclaimed, “Now that’s a reason to get a turkey!” ‘Nuf said.

The recipe calls for fresh jalapeno and fresh or roasted Anaheim chilies. Since I didn’t have those ingredients and didn’t feel like going to the store, I substituted one 12-oz. jar of Salsa Verde which had tomatillos, green chilies, onion and jalapenos in it. I also used 2 teaspoons dried oregano instead of the fresh oregano. If you don’t have turkey, cooked chicken would work just as well.

I cooked the chili in a pot on the stove for 20-30 minutes instead of in a crockpot. If you use the stovetop method, be sure to stir the chili every few minutes after adding the cornmeal/broth mixture so the chili thickens properly and doesn’t get lumpy. Serve with a big dollop of sour cream your favorite chili fixins’. Enjoy!

White Turkey Chili
-recipe from Williams-Sonoma kitchen

Made with chunks of cooked turkey, this hearty chili is a wonderful way to use up leftovers from the Thanksgiving feast. Fresh-baked corn bread is the perfect accompaniment. Serves 6 to 8.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tsp. toasted ground cumin
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 lb. Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled and diced, or 3 cans (each 7 oz.) whole fire-roasted Anaheim chilies, diced
4 to 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
1 lb. diced cooked turkey
3 cans (each 15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, or 4 1/2 cups cooked white beans, drained
2 Tbs. minced fresh oregano
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup cornmeal
Shredded jack cheese, sour cream and lime wedges for serving

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cumin, garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the chilies and 3 1/2 cups of the broth, then transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in the turkey, beans, oregano and cilantro.

Put the cornmeal in a small bowl and slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the broth. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the turkey mixture. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Thin the chili with more broth if needed.

Ladle the chili into warmed bowls. Serve with cheese, sour cream and lime wedges.

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Tags: chicken broth, chili, green chilies, jalapeno, leftover turkey, turkey chili, white bean, white turkey chili

For me, a turkey dinner is nice for one meal (or maybe 2 meals…MAX). What I enjoy even more than the epic turkey feast is turning the leftover turkey into other meals, like enchiladas or soup. This recipe for New Mexico Turkey-Tortilla Soup is not only easy to make, but it’s delicious and a perfect use for the leftover bird.

The dried ancho chile can be found in the Hispanic section of your grocery store…I found mine at Winco. I added 1 teaspoon of ground cumin to the simmering tomato-base soup. Corn would also be a nice addition. The tortilla strips are easy to make and add good flavor but the soup will still be good if you substitute crushed tortilla chips instead…just buy the best, freshest ones you can find.

New Mexico Turkey-Tortilla Soup
-recipe from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

This soup is simply amazing. With a completely different flavor profile than the Thanksgiving meal, it makes a fabulous Thanksgiving leftover. The thick broth is smoky-flavored and deeply rich from the addition of the ancho chile. It’s not spicy hot, just bright tasting. Serve the soup in shallow bowls and pile high the crisp corn tortilla strips for a crunchy garnish. Serves 6.

Canola oil for frying

Six 6-inch corn tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) peeled, whole plum tomatoes, drained
4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups shredded roast turkey
kosher or sea salt
1 large avocado, halved, pitted, flesh scooped out, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) Mexican Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled, or shredded Monterey Jack
1/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
lime wedges for serving

Pour the oil into an 8-inch heavy saute pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Place over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering (350 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer). In small batches, fry the tortilla strips, stirring them around, for about 1 minute until pale golden. (The oil will stop bubbling once they are crisp.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tortilla strips to a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve the oil.

Meanwhile, soak the chile in a small bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes until softened. Drain. Tear the chile into pieces. Set aside.

In a 6-quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the tortilla frying oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove from the heat. Transfer the onions and garlic to a blender. Add the chile and the tomatoes. Blend to a smooth puree. Pour the puree back into the saucepan and return to medium heat. Add the stock or broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer the soup for 30 minutes. Stir in the shredded turkey. Taste and season with salt.

To serve, divide the avocado and cheese among 6 warmed shallow bowls. Ladle the soup over top and garnish with the tortilla strips and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over the top.

Do Ahead: The soup, without the turkey added, can be made up to 2 days in advance. Reheat gently and add the turkey just before serving.

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Tags: ancho chile, chicken broth, Christmas, holidays, leftovers, New Mexico, roast turkey, Southwestern, Thanksgiving, tortilla soup

I got together with a group of girlfriends from my bible study on Friday to organize a friend’s garage. The friend we were helping is a mom of two young boys and her husband has been in the hospital for several months awaiting a heart transplant. Needless to say, it’s been a difficult season for this family, so a chilly, overcast November day was not going to deter us from the work we had set out to do. We were there to help a girlfriend, to let her know that she and her family are loved, and in some small way, to offer hope.

After we finished our project, we stood around the kitchen together eating a bowl of this Summer Minestrone with Pesto. Friends sharing life together and a hot bowl of soup…this is what it’s all about!

Now about the minestrone…I doubled the recipe so there would be plenty of soup for all of us. I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, russets instead of the red-skinned potatoes, diced canned tomatoes instead of fresh (28-oz can for double recipe), chopped kale instead of spinach, and extra carrots instead of green beans. About 10 minutes before serving, I added a little bit of uncooked pasta to the simmering soup which helped thicken it up a bit. Once the pasta was cooked, we ladled the piping hot soup into bowls and garnished each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Yumm!

Summer Minestrone with Pesto
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

When a generous garnish of pesto gets stirred in, the soup turns a vibrant green and becomes perfumed with the intense and sweet aroma of basil mixed with garlic. Makes 6 servings.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), drained
2 tomatoes, peeled, crushed
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
6 tablespoons pesto
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add broth and next 7 ingredients. Increase heat to high and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pot, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; simmer 3 minutes longer. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into 6 bowls; garnish each with 1 tablespoon pesto. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Tags: cannellini beans, carrots, celery, chicken broth, kale, minestrone, onion, parmesan cheese, pesto, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, Vegetable, zucchini

If you like mushrooms, you’re going to LOVE this risotto! Like all risotto recipes, it does take some effort but, boy, is it worth it: it’s hearty, earthy and delicious!

I basically followed the recipe with a few minor substitutions. I used turkey Italian sausage and substituted Marsala wine for the Madeira. For the mushrooms, I used 6 oz. portobello, 8 oz. crimini and 4 oz. shiitake…a total of 18 ounces. I sauteed the onion and garlic in 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter instead of a whole stick. If you can’t find Asiago cheese, just use Parmesan. A drizzle of truffle oil would put this risotto over the top!

Italian Sausage and Wild Mushroom Risotto
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine from Tuscany, Salt Lake City, UT

At the restaurant, this dish is served as a starter. It would also make a great main course for four. Makes 8 first-course servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills scraped out, caps diced
10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups Madeira (I used Marsala)

6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I used 1/2 stick, or 4 tablespoons)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups arborio rice or other medium-grain rice (about 13 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add all mushrooms, thyme, and oregano and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Madeira; boil until almost absorbed, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Bring stock to simmer in large saucepan; remove from heat and cover to keep hot. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup Madeira; simmer until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot stock; simmer until almost absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, adding more stock by cupfuls, stirring often and allowing most stock to be absorbed before adding more, about 25 minutes. Stir in sausage mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Pass cheese separately.

Tags: arborio, Asiago cheese, chicken broth, Italian, italian sausage, Madeira, Main Dish, Marsala, onion, oregano, portobello mushrooms, rice, risotto, shiitake mushrooms, Side Dish, thyme, wild mushrooms