Roasted Veggies with Orzo and Feta

Orzo is a new-comer in my kitchen cabinet and I’m hooked on it; whether it’s in a cold salad or a hot dish.  Orzo is small and rice-shaped ~ it looks like rice but it’s really pasta.  It’s perfect for casseroles like this one!

With fall arriving on the 23^rd, our farmer’s markets’ supply of fresh veggies is starting to dwindle and I wanted to squeeze in one more veggie dish using the market’s tender veggies.  We all know that local food tastes better and purchasing from farmer’s markets supports our farmers in the area and contributes to the community.  It’s just sad to me in that the season is so very short here!

Most of us like roasted veggies for the bold deep flavors the roasting brings out.  This mixture consists of asparagus, bell peppers, onions, zucchini, mushrooms and grape tomatoes roasted with orzo, feta cheese and pine nuts.   Browning the orzo and pine nuts first, gives them a nutty toasted flavor that’s a great match with the veggies.  I hope you give this a try!

Baked!

Roasted Veggies with Orzo and Feta

Ingredients:

1 zucchini

1 pound asparagus

1 pound mushrooms

2 large bell peppers, red and yellow

8 green onions, chopped

1 cup grape tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, smashed

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon basil

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 cup orzo

1 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth

½ cup pine nuts, toasted

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice first 5 veggies into bite-size pieces.

Place into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray along with tomatoes and garlic. 

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss well.

Roast 30-40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add orzo and sauté until lightly browned.

Pour broth over orzo and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the orzo absorbs the broth.

Add orzo to roasted veggies and mix thoroughly.

Season with additional salt or pepper, if needed.

Top with feta cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Cover with foil.

Bake 30 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8

This is veggie love for sure!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes. 

Gnocchi with Shrimp and Asparagus in Pesto Sauce

OK, would somebody please help me…  

I’ve seen many of you writing about gnocchi and a lot of you have even made it from scratch.  It’s new to me.  It took me 10 minutes, at least, to find a package of the potato dumplings in the grocery store the other day and they only had two of them. 

If I had known how to pronounce the word, I would’ve asked the clerks what aisle to go to find it.   So, please tell me ~ is it gnocchi with a “hard” G as in good or is it gnocchi with a “silent” G as in gnat?

However it’s pronounced, we think it’s great and I’m sorry it took us so long to meet. Gnocchi is a great hearty alternative to pasta and a perfect addition in this recipe!   I loved the texture and size of it and how quickly it cooked.  The taste of the shrimp, fresh asparagus, and homemade pesto sauce with the gnocchi was absolutely delicious!!!  

Would you just please tell me how to pronounce it…

Gnocchi with Shrimp and Asparagus in Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi

4 cups asparagus (about 1 pound), sliced into 1” pieces

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

1 cup basil leaves

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a large pan.

Add gnocchi and cook 4 minutes or until done.  Gnocchi will rise to the top.

Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a large bowl.

Bring water back to a boil.

Add shrimp and cook until done, drain well.

Meanwhile, in another pan, add asparagus and cook until tender, drain well.

Add shrimp and asparagus to gnocchi bowl.

Combine 1 tablespoon water, basil and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor.

Process until smooth, scraping sides.

Drizzle oil through food chute with food processor on; process until well blended.

Add basil mixture to shrimp mixture.

Toss to coat.

Serve immediately

4 servings

It’s delicious!!!

Pam's note:  For a better procedure, see StephenC's second comment, #17.

Be sure to enter the $65 CSN giveaway I posted on Sept. 15^th!

Check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and the 4 cookbooks she's giving away!

Spinach Salad with Mushrooms, Mozzarella and Sautéed Chicken

I love this time of year not only for the warm weather but for the variety of salads we enjoy, with this being one of our favorites.  It is perfect for a summertime supper!

What sets this spinach salad apart from the others is that the chicken and mushrooms are placed in separate plastic bags to marinate with the salad dressing before sautéing.  Added to the salad’s flavors is mozzarella cheese, a chopped apple, dried cherries and pine nuts.  Dried cranberries or golden raisins could replace the dried cherries, if you prefer.

Then I topped it with the delicious Italian dressing.  The dressing is robust and complements the salad ingredients perfectly.  This is one of the best salads you can imagine and you will be making it many times once you try it!  You will see how very delicious it is and all that spinach has to make it healthy also!

Here’s the recipe:

Italian salad dressing:

Ingredients:

¾ cup salad oil

¼ cup wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon paprika

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, optional

Method:

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients, except cheese.

Process until well blended.

Add Parmesan cheese, stir in.

Cover and refrigerate for 3 or more hours before using.

Spinach Salad with Mushrooms, Mozzarella and Sautéed Chicken

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Italian salad dressing

2 packages (10 oz. each) white mushrooms, sliced

8 cups baby spinach leaves

1 medium apple, chopped

½ cup dried cherries

2 tablespoons pine nuts

5 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed

Method:

Pour ¼ cup Italian dressing over chicken in large re-sealable plastic bag, turn to coat. 

Close bag and marinate in refrigerator up to 2 hours.

Repeat with mushrooms in additional ¼ cup dressing in separate re-sealable bag and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Remove chicken from plastic bag and sauté in a skillet until it is cooked thoroughly.  Set aside.

Remove mushrooms from plastic bag and sauté in skillet until tender and golden.

Thinly slice chicken into strips.

Arrange spinach on serving platter.

Top with apple, cherries and cheese, then mushrooms and chicken.

Just before serving, drizzle with remaining dressing or however much you desire.

4 servings

This is one tasty summertime salad that’s great for lunch or supper!

Give it a try!

Roasted Green Beans & Shallots

Not only can Kathy, Matt’s girlfriend, make gorgeous flower arrangements (Nov. 28 post), she's a great cook also!

She prepared this delicious dish for our Thanksgiving dinner and it was an instant hit so I just had to make it myself. 

You know how green beans always make an appearance on the holiday table with the ubiquitous mushroom soup and onion rings?  Although being tasty, it is a creamy rich dish, high in calories.  Well, this recipe is an up-graded green bean recipe taking them to a higher level.  Roasting the green beans and shallots with a little olive oil, pine nuts and salt and pepper is an excellent way to amplify their flavor without adding a lot of extra calories. 

After tasting it, this dish is now my favorite way to prepare green beans!  It’s amazing how the ingredients all come together, rendering it absolutely delicious.  The oven roasting makes it extra flavorful and is an amazing alternative to a casserole or steaming the green beans.   Roasting the shallots gives it a caramelized flavor and the pine nuts top it off in a grand delicious way.

Thanks, Kathy, it's an excellent side dish!

Roasted Green Beans & Shallots

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds fresh green beans

2 large shallots, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pine nuts (as many as you wish….Kathy uses ¼ cup toasted, so do I)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place green beans, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well.  Spread evenly on baking sheet (use two if necessary).  Bake for 15 minutes.

Stir beans, return to oven for 15 additional minutes.  Check on them and see how they look.  Roast them longer if you like.

Put pine nuts in small pan and toast on medium heat for a few minutes.  Watch carefully because they will brown quickly.  Toast evenly.

Transfer green beans to a serving dish and spread toasted pine nuts on top.

ENJOY!!!