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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Three Cheese Orzo and Spinach



The shrimp recipe I wanted to try as a main dish recommended pan-seared spinach and orzo for side dishes. I found this recipe which combined the two and knew this was the way to go. The original recipe at How Sweet Eats (click the link below) calls for goat cheese but I used the gruyere in the fridge. And the orzo I used was regular rather than whole wheat.

Three Cheese Orzo and Spinach
adapted from How Sweet Eats
click to print

1 c orzo
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c chopped onions
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c gruyere cheese
1/3 c parmesan cheese
1/3 c grated cheddar cheese
1 spinach bunch
pinch of nutmeg

Cook orzo according to package directions; drain.


Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.


Add chopped onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.


Add garlic and spinach; cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.


Add drained orzo to spinach and onions.


Add cheese, stir into orzo and spinach.


Add nutmeg and stir.



Why don't I have orzo more often? Especially when loaded with cheese! It's so pretty and delicious! I think I put in more cheese than specified, just grating away and winding up with quite a lot, which explains why it pretty much bound together. I had hesitated only momentarily before going ahead and dumping all that cheese in. 

I'm glad I used the grown up spinach rather than the baby spinach. It's much more kale-like and has substance I enjoy. This was nice company for the shrimp dish, offering a contradiction to the lemon and mint, but yet complimentary.


If you cook the orzo and spinach in parallel, this will be done in less than 15 minutes, which is absolutely fantastic!

Cost:
  • orzo: $1, SWAG
  • olive oil: $0.48
  • onion: $0.07
  • garlic: $0.16
  • gruyere cheese: $2.66
  • parmesan cheese: $0.93
  • cheddar cheese: $0.42
  • spinach: $1.79
TOTAL: $7.51 or about $1.88 for each of four hearty servings or about $1.25 for each of six servings.

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