Lemon Basil Orzo

This recipe is an Iz Original. I was just playing around in the kitchen one night and decided to wing it!

Ingredients:

1 cup orzo (uncooked)

1/2 onion, diced to about the size of the orzo

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 can navy beans

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced (packed in oil or rehydrated in water if you buy the dried ones)

1/4 cup diced artichokes

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1.5-2 tbsp finely-grated lemon zest

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the orzo as directed on the package.
2. In 1 tbsp olive oil, cook onions and garlic until onions are soft and transparent
3. Stir in the artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and beans. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Stir in remaining olive oil, lemon zest, basil, and parmesan cheese.
6. Add orzo and toss to combine evenly.
7. Season with salt and pepper.

This recipe turned out really well. The lemon + basil combination was fantastic, and I might even add more lemon next time. I would also suggest using freshly cracked pepper - it was a nice complement to the lemon and basil flavours. Also, I would recommend chopping the vegetables as close to the size of the orzo as you can. It's nice to have that consistency in size. One thing I might try next time is adding some spicy heat - like a pinch of dried chili flakes.

Either way, this recipe was great and fresh-tasting. I will definitely make it again!

Pasta with Artichokes and Asparagus.

This is a recipe that a recent houseguest made for my roommate and I as a thank you. It was SO delicious and I have made it once since. It is a little pricey to buy all the ingredients, but it is such a treat.

Ingredients:

• ½ lb pasta (fettuccini or linguini)
• ½ cup olive oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, julienned
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ lb asparagus, cut into small spears
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and diced
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 6.5 ounce jar of marinated artichokes, drained and quartered
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions.

2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over low-to-medium heat.

3. Add onions and stir frequently, until caramelized (about 15-20 minutes).

4. Add remaining olive oil, garlic, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and walnuts.

5. Cook until asparagus is tender (about 5 minutes).

6. Remove pan from heat and stir in artichokes, oregano, and olives.

7. Toss veggies with pasta, adding salt and pepper to taste.

8. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Tomatoes

I'm a little behind on my blog postings, but I've been cooking up a storm ever since I finished my Masters paper. (Yay me!)... Anyway, here is the first of many blog postings for today/this week.

I had hit up a local farmers' market and bought a whole bunch of local produce, including way too many tomatoes. So, I needed a way to use them up fast. I thought of stuffed tomatoes, which my mom used to make all the time. I googled a few recipes and didn't find one I was happy with, so I winged it and came up with this one.

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes

1 onion, sliced into half-rings

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 can black beans

1 cup bread crumbs

1 tsbp fresh basil, chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees C.
2. Saute the onions and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil on low-to-medium heat until very soft.
3. Meanwhile, cut top 1 inch off of tomatoes and scoop out the insides. Dice the tops and set aside.
4. Grease 4 oven-proof ramekins with some olive oil. Place tomatoes open-side up in the ramekins.
5. Add black beans to onions and garlic with some salt and pepper. Heat for about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in basil, thyme, and 2/3 cup bread crumbs. Add a bit of olive oil and stir until combined. (The breadcrumbs should bind the ingredients together a bit).
7. Fill each tomato with the stuffing and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes are heated through and breadcrumbs are browned and crispy.

This recipe turned out really well. Though I ate a few of these on their own, they'd make a great side dish to some grilled chicken or even chicken parm.