Summer Yum!

If I haven't mentioned it previously, it should be stated that this blog is in no way, shape, or form a recipe blog. I do, however, enjoy cooking and love to share recipes that work for my family.

Like most families, we eat lots of salads during the summer months. I am pretty lucky that my kids enjoy most vegetables and will try almost anything that I put before them.

I happened upon this Lemony Orzo recipe the crew really loved.

It is unbelievably simple, tasty, and versatile. We have eaten it as a stand-alone pasta salad on a warm day, a side for chicken and steak, and even as a salad garnish (my favorite.)

Ready to whip some up for your family? Here's how!

You'll need:
3/4 cup uncooked orzo
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup diced English cucumber
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (I've also used yellow and orange.)
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (My family doesn't dig dill, so I used thyme.)

Preparation
1. Dice English cucumbers and bell peppers and set aside.



(Obviously, I used yellow and orange bell peppers, this time.)


2. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain and place in a large bowl.
3. While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper), stirring well with a whisk.



4. Drizzle juice mixture over orzo and veggies; toss to coat.



It should also be noted that the original recipe called for 1/2 cup of goat cheese, but my family isn't the biggest fan of cheese, so I omitted it.

Hope you enjoy as much as we do!


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