CREAMY GARLIC SPINACH ORZO

This side
dish brings instant comfort. I made it without spinach first so my husband and
daughter would love that. Next time around, I added spinach for the added
health benefits.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions:
- Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often (this infuses the orzo with more flavor and toasts it a bit).
- Stir in the chicken broth and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring fairly often. You will likely need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). You want it to gently bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the pasta has cooked.
- Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parmesan and spinach, and cover the pot for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking. The orzo will absorb the liquid quickly, so if it still seems like there's too much liquid, just wait a little bit longer. Season with salt & pepper as needed. Enjoy your healthy food!