Creamy Orzo with Ham & Peas

This dish was a meal I threw together one night, and it’s been a hit ever since.

The first time I made it, there weren’t many left overs, and what there was, went quickly as lunches the following day.  Either way, the creamy orzo makes for a nice, substantial base without being too heavy, and adding in ham and peas makes it worthy of a one pot meal, whether it’s for lunch or dinner.

It doesn’t require many ingredients, making it budget friendly, and it’s very easy to swap any ingredients that you don’t have for ones that you do.  Plus, it cooks up really fast, done in under 30 minutes, making this a win in my book for those hectic soccer nights.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces whole grain orzo
• 2 cups chicken broth, I use homemade
• 1 cup milk, I used 2%
• 8 ounces ham, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• **optional – 1/2 cup cheese, I used smoked gouda, but cheddar would work as well
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a 12-inch saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Cook onions until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add orzo to the pan to toast, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Combine the chicken broth and milk, bring to a boil.
4. Add in ham, reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 7 minutes stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
5. Add in peas, simmer another 3 minutes, or until the peas are heated through and the orzo is tender.
6. Remove from heat.  Stir in cheese, if desired.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 6