Meditteranean Orzo Salad with Roasted Veggies

We have been on an orzo kick at our house for the last couple weeks! The kids and hubby have just been gobbling it up! I love that you can add whatever veggies and spices you want to just change it up a little bit! This one has a meditteranean flair to it that we ADORED! I will be making this again and again!!!

Meditteranean Orzo Salad with Roasted Veggies
adapted slightly from http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/

Vinaigrette:
1/4 c olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Combine in blender and mix well.

1 T olive oil
1 zucchini cut into spears
1 yellow squash cut into spears
1/2 red onion sliced into rings
1 yellow, red , and green pepper, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
garlic salt  and dried oregano to taste
1 C orzo, cooked per package instructions
1 1/2 T fresh parsley, chopped
3 T crumbled feta cheese
handful of kalamata olived, sliced
Prehead oven to 450 degrees. prepare a sheet pan with olive oil and place all veggies on pan. season with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic salt to taste. place in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until veggies are soft and roasted. Cut the veggies into bite sized pieces and add to cooked and drained orzo. Add the fresh parsley and feta cheese. Drizzle on the vinaigrette and then toss to coat. (you may not need all the vinaigrette). Taste and reseason if needed. serve immediately!

Green Bean Bundles

This is an amazing side dish that I found on http://www.ourbestbites.com/. Soooo yummers! We love green beans at our house and I love to find different ways to make them. This was one of our Thanksgiving sides this year. You have got to try it!!!

1 lb. green beans, ends removed
8 slices bacon
3 T. real butter
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. white sugar
1 T. minced red onion
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 t. Kosher salt

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. If you're using fresh green beans, wash and snip the ends off. When water is boiling, add the beans and blanch the beans for 2-3 minutes, or when the beans start turning bright green. Quickly drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process, until the beans have cooled.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a cookie sheet, divide the green beans evenly into 8 piles. Carefully bundle each pile of green beans with one slice of bacon and return to the baking sheet. When the oven is ready, place the pan in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and sizzling. While the bundles are in the oven, melt the butter over medium high heat in a small saucepan. When the butter is bubble, add in the onions and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are softened a fragrant. Reduce heat to low and add in vinegar, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat and set aside. When ready to serve, place bean bundles on a serving platter and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

Brussel Sprouts: The underused Veggie.

My husband loves brussel sprouts. He is always begging me to make them. I have tried a lot of different ways and I finally fell in love with making them with bacon. They work really well together and even my kids will eat them this way!! (bonus!).

1/2 lb bacon, sliced into bite size pieces

1 bag brussel sprouts

1 c. chicken stock

salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste

Bring about 2 inches of water to boil in a large saute pan. When boiling add the brussel sprouts and boil for about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse in cool water to stop cooking. Cook bacon in saute pan until crispy, drain off all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the brussel sprouts into the same pan with the bacon over medium high heat. Add salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste. Add chicken stock and cook until stock cooks out, stirring frequently.

Cheesy, Creamy Pasta with Summer Veggies

I love summer veggies!!! Especially fresh from the garden...yum, yum!! This casserole from "Pioneer Woman" uses a lot of my favorite veggies and then adds cheese and pasta! What could be better????? Kids loved it, husband loved it...Try it and you will love it!

16 ounces medium pasta shells (or other short pasta)

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (avoid tough parts)

1/2 pound broccoli, cut into small florettes

1/2 pound zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini), diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

3 green onions, sliced (white and light green parts)

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

20 to 22 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Extra olive oil, for drizzling

Cook pasta until extremely al dente—with still quite a bit of bite.Melt butter with the olive oil over medium-low to medium heat, then add in the garlic.Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for five minutes. Sprinkle in a little salt. Add the broccoli and cook for one minute, then add the zucchini and cook for one or two more minutes. Add the frozen peas, stir together, then turn off the heat. Set aside.In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, salt, and pepper until well combined.To assemble, butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Add half the pasta, then spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the surface. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Parmesan over the ricotta, then 1/2 of the vegetables. Repeat with the rest of the pasta, the rest of the ricotta, and another 1/3 of the Parmesan. End with the rest of the vegetables and the rest of the Parmesan.Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons olive oil, then bake for 25 minutes on 350 degrees or until nice and hot.