Parmesan Asparagus Orzo

It is easy to get stuck in a mundane dinner time rut. For a while we were on a grilled chicken, brown rice and a veggie kick and it just got old. After an hour pinning on Pinterest, I decided to try Orzo. 

Orzo is a pasta that is shaped like a grain of rice. This is a very versatile pasta and can be used in soups and casseroles as well as a side dish. It can be cooked just like any other type of pasta or toasted in butter first then adding the cooking liquid (similar to risotto). This recipe uses the toasting method. 

This is the first recipe I ever came up with on my own and still follow the recipe I wrote almost a year ago. I was so nervous to see how it turned out that night and was shocked when it was so delicious! Here is what you need:

  

If you notice my orzo container has several different colors and that is because when I cleaned out my pantry I had 5 containers of orzo all different brands so to save space I just combined them all in one container.

First you want to prepare your asparagus by snapping off the fiberous end. You can snap them all or do one and them cut them all accordingly.

For this dish I chop them in 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Then blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes and then put in an ice bath.

This will stop the cooking and keep the asparagus crisp. Now you can prepare the orzo!

I forgot to include the chicken broth in the ingredients picture!!! 

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet, then add the orzo and let it toast but watch carefully so it won't burn! This is the toasted orzo, it has a nice golden color and is very fragrant.

Once toasted add a 14 oz can of chicken broth, a cup of water and bring to a boil! This may sound like a lot of liquid but it will all absorb in about 20 minutes. Once it is back to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer. You have to use your judgement here on when the liquid is absorbed sometimes it happens in 15 minutes, sometimes 20. 

This is what the orzo will look like when the broth is absorbed. Then add 1/3 of a cup of heavy cream.

I love my owl measuring cups!!! Once the cream is added let the mixture simmer for a few minutes then taste to check tenderness of the orzo. After tasting it I realized it wasn't very creamy so I added another 1/3 cup of cream.

 * this is not a healthy recipe!!!!

This is what the creamy orzo looks like! Now is a good time to tell you that this makes a lot! I love the portion it makes because tomorrow I will have leftovers with a salad for lunch. Now stir in 1/2 of a cup of shaved Parmesan cheese. The creaminess continues!!! Once the cheese is melted you can taste again for salt, the cheese and broth add a lot of flavor so normally I just add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Now gently stir in the asparagus and let it heat through. You don't want the asparagus to over cook. Once heated trough you are ready to serve.

This is your finally product! A creamy delicous and unhealthy Parmesan asparagus orzo!

I am serving this tonight with grilled chicken and salad. But the options are endless. It pairs well with steak or porkchops and you can add chicken to it for a one bowl meal. You can also substitute the asparagus for broccoli or any veggies of your choice. Enjoy!!

B