What's For Dinner Wednesday: Creamy Orzo

Ages ago, one of my forays into blogging was a cooking blog.  I couldn't come up with a cohesive theme though and, alas, that blog fell by the wayside along with the others.  However, I do love to cook and I also love to try new recipes-- I get bored with the same recipes pretty quickly so I am constantly scouring Cooking Light magazine or Pinterest for new ones and editing my old ones.  I do have a few standby meals in my recipe box though and this is one of them.  It is also one that Alex requests a lot (and he is a little on the picky side), so I figure it must be pretty good.  

This recipe is actually very easy to make and is pretty healthy.  Since you cook the orzo slowly in chicken stock (like a risotto) it creates a really nice creamy texture.  It makes a great side dish to chicken or seafood or even a great vegetarian entree with some steamed veggies on top.  The recipe makes WAY more than the two of us need for a dinner, but I still like to make the whole thing along with some extra veggies and then pack it up and take it to work for lunch for a few days.  Enjoy!

Creamy Orzo with Steamed Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Olive oil
• 2 cups orzo
• 4 cups low sodium canned chicken stock
  
• Parmesan, grated
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 2 cups steamed vegetables. I suggest carrots, broccoli, zucchini, snow peas

Heat oil in large skillet or sautee pan, cook onion over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in uncooked orzo & and toss to coat and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Slowly stir in 1/2 cup of stock at a time. Adding the next half cup when the previous one has been absorbed, stirring constantly. When orzo is tender stir in a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan and steamed vegetables. 

derived from recipe courtesy of Cathy Lowe (via FoodNetwork.com)