Pasta

Tomato Avocado Orzo Summer Salad

I like walking through the grocery store and seeing a bounty of summer veggies to choose from. The mini tomatoes always seem to catch my husband’s eye and are a fun snack with cheese and crackers. I had some leftover orzo pasta in the pantry that needed to be used up so there’s my boring inspiration for a yummy summer salad. Enjoy!

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • 1 pint mixed mini tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 avocado, small cubes
  • 6-10 leaves of fresh basil (depending on size) – chiffonade
  • 1 tsp / 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 c fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Heat oil and garlic on low-medium heat until fragrant (2-3 min) and then keep pan warm on simmer setting.
  2. Cook orzo pasta per package directions, drain excess water and transfer pasta to pan with oil/garlic and stir to coat.
  3. Add tomatoes and stir to combine and leave on gentle heat (simmer) for 5-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. When ready to serve – remove from heat and add avocado, basil and cheese and gently stir to combine.
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Creamy Mushroom and Leek Tagliatelle

My sweet friend, Jen, gave me the gift of a free Hello Fresh week. It’s a service where you get a week’s worth of groceries specifically measured to create specific recipes and reduce food waste. It was fun to try different recipes and this one has become a favorite in our house. It’s creamy like an alfredo but much healthier and the leeks have a nice mild flavor – a perfect cold and rainy day dinner. Enjoy! (more…)

Perfect Mac and Cheese

One of my all-time favorite comfort foods is an ooey gooey rich creamy Macaroni and Cheese. I came across this Martha Stewart recipe and since then have tweaked it to be a little easier for me to make. I also doubled some of the spices for a little stronger flavor. This recipe is my favorite for potlucks around the holidays because it’s an instant crowd pleaser.

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