Friday, October 28, 2011

Creamy Orzo with Pesto and Asparagus

 This is my new take on "pasta pesto and peas", since my husband doesn't like peas, and since I love the creamy goodness of orzo.

1 cup orzo
butter, olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
asparagus
1 cup white wine
2-4 cups chicken broth
pesto (recipe follows)
Parmesan cheese

1~heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat, and add the diced onion, cooking til almost soft
2~add the orzo, and let it get very slightly toasted-
3~then add your wine (delicious smells occur immediately)


4~turn heat to medium/low, and stir frequently.
5~when the wine is evaporated, add enough chicken broth to just cover the orzo.


6~stir frequently, and repeat this simmering process until the orzo is al dente (this may take about 15 minutes)

7~toss in your asparagus along with the last addition of broth- that should be just long enough for it to get tender



8~gently stir in pesto, and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some extra Parmesan cheese



PESTO
(these are approximations- make the pesto to your taste!)...(or just buy it in a jar.)

       
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/8 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

~Combine all ingredients in a food processor.  Drizzle in olive oil until the pesto reaches the consistency you like! The end.~
*Be careful adding salt- remember that the Parmesan cheese is already very salty.


Saturday, October 8, 2011

Cobbler LOVE

Another recipe review!

Guess who? Another Pioneer Woman masterpiece!  Follow this recipe exactly, and it will be amazing. 

Or, follow my few tiny changes if you are feeling crazy.

The only changes I made were: 1.) mix blackberries with a big squeeze of lemon juice and the zest of a half a lemon.  2.) dump the berries in the dish first, and pour the batter all over the top of them.  3) When you sprinkle the top with sugar, also sprinkle it with a little kosher salt.  YUM!

See how BEAUTIFUL it is??



Friday, October 7, 2011

Food Blog Comeback!

I have been completely out of it for the past 2 months with the arrival of our new baby boy. It has been wonderful and exhausting, and I have finally gotten back in the kitchen recently.  Confession: I am slightly obsessed with the Pioneer Woman.  I have been testing out some of her recipes, and I am here to let you know that they REALLY DO come out as amazingly delicious as she says they do.

Here is the play-by-play.  It is a pretty basic pot roast, but the addition of fresh rosemary is wonderful. For a detailed recipe, visit her website :)

(Mostly) Pioneer Woman's Pot Roast:

I used a london broil, because that's what I had.  Start by covering it in salt and pepper, and giving it a good sear on both sides in olive oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven.




Then grab some red wine, pour it in, and whisk away to get up all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Lay the roast back in, and add onions, carrots, potatoes, and fresh rosemary. (I also threw in a few whole cloves of garlic!)

Pour a little beef broth in (just enough to go half way up the piece of meat).

Place the whole thing in the oven for 3-4 hours at 275f.

 I forgo to take a picture of the finished product because we were so hungry, but I promise, it is lovely!!!!