A yummy creamy Italian kiss, Risotto Primavera

One of my all time favorite foods is risotto, usually just with garlic, onions and Parmesan, but I am always happy to try new versions. Risotto can be intimidating, but it is actually easy. My two biggest tips? You dont HAVE to heat your liquid, and you dont have to stir non stop. Just give it a good stir every 4-5 minutes.

Olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 48 oz box chicken broth (low sodium please!)
1/2 large onion, chopped fine
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup Romano cheese
1/2 cup fresh mozzarela cubed small
1 tbsp lemon juice
black pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400. Toss tomatoes and salt in olive oil to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tomatoes burst, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

In a dutch oven or large sauce pan, heat olive oil (to coat the bottom) over medium high. cook onion and garlic until fragrent and onions are translucent. Add rice and stir to coat rice in oil. Add vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup liquid (I usually pour until rice is covered) stir. Stir once or twice until all liquid is absorbed. Add more liquid to cover and repeat. Add chicken, When adding liquid for the third time, add vegi and mozzarela. Stir more frequently to keep cheese from burning. When liquid is absorbed, check rice, it should be al dente. Add Romano cheese and pepper, stir one final time. Serve topped with tomatoes and more Romano.