Simple Veggie Orzo

This is a recipe that's less a recipe and more a method. It's very versatile because the orzo pasta that forms the main body of the dish is so adaptable to whatever veggies you want to add; also because the amounts can be easily adjusted to feed as many as you like. For example, 1/4 cup of pasta and 1/2 cup of broth were perfect for a single serving. I used 1 cup of pasta and 2 cups of broth when I made this for the family.

Simple Veggie Orzo

Orzo pasta (dry measure)
Double the amount of chicken broth (liquid measure)
olive oil
chopped garlic
diced green onion
finely chopped vegetables, your choice
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the pasta, garlic, and green onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 8 minutes, then add in your vegetables. Stir briefly, cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The broth will absorb into the pasta, and the veggies will have steamed to perfectly crisp-tender. To finish, fold in grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: I add pepper, but no salt. I found that even with reduced-sodium chicken broth, I didn't need to add more salt -- especially with the Parmesan cheese.