Orzo with Spinach and Roasted Peppers

This tasty side dish is as good as it is simple to make. Roasted bell peppers and spinach sautéed with garlic combined with orzo pasta make this dish a nice change from potatoes and rice. In addition, the ingredients for this recipe are readily available making this dish the perfect accompaniment anytime of the year.

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For this recipe, you'll need the following:

•  3/4 cup of uncooked orzo (rice shaped pasta)
• 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
• 4-5 cups of fresh spinach
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 TB butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the orzo in a pot of boiling water. Be sure not to over cook it as you will be placing it in a saute pan to finish cooking. Chop the bell peppers into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Chop the spinach in the same manner.

In a hot pan, add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and saute for 20 to 30 seconds being careful not to brown the garlic. Add the spinach and saute until it's just wilted. Add the bell peppers and stir until it is completely blended.

Finally, stir in the cooked orzo and season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, top the orzo with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy! 

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Pomodoro Sauce

This multipurpose marinara-style sauce is excellent with pasta. Add your favorite meatball recipe and you have yourself a hearty meal. I use this sauce when I make my lasagna. I also use it as a dipping sauce for fried mozzarella and stuffed artichoke hearts. However you use it, it's a tasty sauce and a cinch to make. It also freezes well so you can double or even triple the recipe and freeze it in containers.

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 28 oz can of whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
• 8-10 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by peeling and chopping 1/2 of a white onion. Saute the onion with a little olive oil over medium high heat in a medium sized skillet for about 7 minutes. Stir the onions periodically so they don't brown. About a minute before the onions are finished, add the garlic and stir to combine.

Using an emulsion blender, food processor, blender or simply your hands, crush the tomatoes in a bowl with their juices to the desired consistency. If you want a chunkier style sauce, then do not completely puree the tomatoes. If you want a smoother sauce, puree them until they are smooth. Add the tomatoes, sugar, oregano and red pepper flakes to the onions and simmer over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, julienne your basil leaves. The easiest way to do this is to roll them tightly like a cigar and slice them with a knife. 

After the tomato sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, add the basil and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

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