Orzo Salad

How can it be possible that the kids wrapped up both soccer and baseball season last week? Courtney's very first varsity soccer season and Ryan's senior year of baseball - I swear - I blinked and it was over.  Ugggg - somebody make them stop growing please!

There are so many things that I am going to miss about seeing Ryan on the baseball field but on a more positive note, at least I won't have to pack up our dinners to eat while sitting on the bleachers anymore.  Picnicking at the ball field gets old after about a week.  Lets just say - I'm over it.     

Last week, I made a batch of Greek Chicken Skewers and some orzo pasta to take to one of Courtney's last soccer games.  It was a nice change from the sandwiches that I normally pack to eat at the field.  



Both of these recipes came from my Taste of Home magazine and I really liked them both.  The beauty of the orzo salad is that it's really good warm, at room temperature and even cold.  I just never know when I might get the chance to eat during the game so temperature is always an issue.  It was especially good with the chicken skewers and I'll post that recipe on tomorrows blog.

Orzo Salad
1 1/4 cups orzo pasta
15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup feta
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, halved
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
2 Tablespoons red onion, chopped  (I had to substitute a white onion.)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon olive oil  (I used pecan oil.)
1 Tablespoon graten lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse.

Combine remaining ingredients:
Beans

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Feta

Olives

Yellow Pepper

Mint

Onion

Lemon juice and lemon zest

Oil

Garlic and pepper.

 Toss together.

 

 Add pasta.

Serve warm, room temperature or cold.  (My favorite is warmed orzo salad.)

Don't forget to check in on yeseterday's blog so that you can get the chicken skewer recipe too.  They are the perfect compliment to this orzo salad.  If you're not getting my blog updates on facebook - click the link on the right side of the blog to become a facebook follower of My Story in Recipes.

Ciao!