Category: Pasta & Pizza

This recipe is perfect for Spring and Summer as all of the farmer’s markets are opening up and full of fresh zucchini, squash, and tomatoes. With this dish, the fresher the ingredients, the better the flavor will be. I posted an impromptu pic of this dish on Instagram (it was just too pretty not to!) and after many requests decided to share the recipe here.

A good friend who knows me all too well gave me the Cook’s Country One-Pan Wonders cookbook for Christmas this year. I am always in search of quick weeknight dinner options that use fresh ingredients. A few weeks ago, I was feeling a little adventurous one night and decided to try something new. After skimming through the cookbook again, I found this vegetable and orzo tian that I had all of the ingredients for at home. Any recipe that doesn’t require a trip to the grocery store during the witching hour with two kids gets automatic bonus points.

I knew that I loved all of the ingredients in this recipe, but we were a little surprised at how much we enjoyed this dish. The kids opted for chicken nuggets and mac and cheese as usual, but we loved stepping up our dinner game for the night with the Mediterranean flavors in this dish.

Give the Vegetable & Orzo Tian a try this season and leave a comment below to let us know what you think or if you have any fun variations to try!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup orzo, uncooked
• 2-3 Tbs fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (or add as desired)
• 1 large zucchini, sliced approx. 1/4 thick
• 1 large yellow squash, sliced approx. 1/4 thick
• 2-3 large tomatoes, cored & sliced approx. 1/4 thick
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
• salt & pepper as desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in middle position. Spray 9 x 13 oven-safe baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine 1/2 cup Parmesan, orzo, oregano, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Spread mixture evenly on bottom of baking dish.
3. Alternate placing zucchini, yellow squash, and tomato in rows on top of the bed of orzo.
4. Pour broth evenly over the top of vegetables. Bake about 20 minutes until orzo is al dente and most of the broth is absorbed.
5. Remove dish from oven, increase oven temperature or prepare to broil.
6. Drizzle veggies with oil, remaining cheese, salt, and pepper.  Cook for about 5 more minutes until slightly browned on top and bubbling around the edges.

Recipe from Cook’s Country One-Pan Wonders Cookbook

Are you a risotto lover, but lack the time and patience to stand at the stove stirring forever just to enjoy that perfect creamy risotto? This is the perfect risotto recipe for you! It’s seriously been a game-changer for us. Risotto can stay in our regular rotation rather than an occasional treat on a weekend when we actually have enough time to dedicate to it.

Now that it’s finally, finally cooling down a bit here in the South, I’m starting to crave cozying up with soups and warm, cheesy comfort foods like risotto. During those colder months each year, especially around the holidays, I want comfort foods and I want them with minimal effort so I can enjoy the extra time with my family.

This recipe is for our basic parmesan risotto recipe, but we often like to play with adding in a variety of other flavors. Some of our favorite flavor combinations are spinach and roasted mushroom, spinach and sundried tomato, butternut squash, and broccoli cheese.

Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think in the comments below. Oh and let us know what flavor combos you try as well if you decide to get fancy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 4 1/2 – 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbs minced garlic
• 2 Tbs butter
• olive oil
• kosher salt (as needed)
• freshly ground black pepper (as needed)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the Arborio rice, 4 cups of the chicken stock, garlic and a little salt and pepper in a Dutch oven (we love our Lodge dutch oven).
3. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until the chicken stock is almost absorbed.
4. Carefully remove dutch oven, add in the remaining chicken stock a little a time. Stir in the Parmesan and butter and stir for 2 -3 minutes until everything is incorporated well and rice has that creamy risotto consistency.
5. Optional: Mix in any additions for extra flavor.

Adapted from: Ina Garten’s recipe