Since turning 21, the wild and crazy world of cooking with wine has been opened up for me. It still feels weird to walk into the wine section at the grocery store, as if I'm not supposed to be there. Putting a bottle (or box) of wine into my basket and carrying it to the checkout, then going through the checkout and actually being allowed to carry the wine out of the store seems somehow wrong to me. But that didn't stop me from going out and buying wine a few days ago.

    I've wanted to make risotto for the past year or so, but waited until I was allowed to go out and buy wine for myself as a symbolic gesture of...I don't know. All I know is, I finally made risotto. And it was good.

Ingredients:
* serves 2
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup arborio rice
2 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a chardonnay that came from a box...classy.)
2 cups chicken broth
1 italian sausage, sliced into thin rounds
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup chopped kale

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it spreads to coat the pan. Add rice, mushrooms, and garlic to the pan and cook them until the rice is translucent. Add the white wine and cook until the wine is absorbed by the rice. Add about half a cup  of chicken broth, and simmer, stirring, until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding chicken broth gradually and stirring until it is absorbed. When only half a cup of broth is left, add the sausage, kale, and thyme. Cook until the broth is almost all absorbed and the risotto has a creamy texture. Serve immediately.