1 medium sized butternut squash
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 cup of arborio rice
1/2 cup of bourbon
2 cups of good organic chicken stock
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
1 diced shallot
salt and freshly ground pepper

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F because you need to roast the squash. Take the squash and slice it in two laterally. Scoop out the seeds, and rub it with a tablespoon of olive oil. Put it on a roasting pan and roast for 30 to 45 minutes. It is done when the top turns light brown and it is all soft and mushy. Once done, scoop out the cooked squash, mash it up a bit, and put it in a random bowl until you need it.

Meanwhile, you can dice the shallot and clean the mushrooms. Chances are, you'll want to take the stems off the shiitakes because they can be a bit tough. Then, slice the mushrooms.

In a 2 quart pot, bring the stock to a simmer and leave it alone.

Now, in a different 4 quart pot, on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and oil. When it is good and hot, throw in your shallots. After 1 minute, throw in your mushrooms and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes. Then, add the rice, salt, and pepper and stir for 1 minute.

Next, add the bourbon and continue to stir, until it is almost evaporated. At that point, add enough boiling chicken stock to cover the rice completely. Then, add the cooked squash. Keep the heat so that the liquid burbles briskly, but not too vigorously. Stir every minute or so and whenever the liquid drops below the rice, add more stock. If you run out of chicken stock, start using boiling water instead. After about 15-20 minutes, the risotto should be done.

To finish, remove from heat, add another tablespoon of butter, and the cheese.

Serves 2 people who know that the best things come after you wait for them.