Butternut Squash Risotto with Pesto

I'm not usually a big pesto fan, but here I think pesto is more like a secret ingredient! Using it as a base for sauteing onions made the kitchen smell wonderful. Also, I admit that I DID buy a real squash for this, but I also found frozen squash at Whole Foods. So when I couldn't figure out how to peel the butternut squash within 90 seconds, I tossed it and started defrosting the frozen stuff. Perfect!

I did not create this recipe but and I printed it out from Notepad so I have NO IDEA where it came from or who to attribute it to. I wish I knew though because it came out so well I want to know some more recipes from this source.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Pesto
Serves 6

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup prepared pesto, divided
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen onion
1½ cups Arborio rice
3 cups fresh or frozen cubed butternut squash (1 small squash)

Bring broth and 2 cups water to a boil in large saucepan; turn off heat.

Heat 1 Tbsp. pesto in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and saute 6 minutes. Stir in rice, followed by 1/2 cup hot broth. When rice has absorbed broth, add another 1/2 cup. Continue adding broth in this manner 5 minutes.

Stir in squash, and season with salt and pepper. Resume adding broth, 1/2 cu pat a time until rice has absorbed all liquid. (This should take about 15 minutes.) Remove from heat, and stir in 1 Tbs. pesto. Spoon risotto into 6 bowls and top each with 1 tsp. pesto.