stuffed peppers with orzo and basil

We tried out this recipe over the weekend and were very happy with the results. I've had stuffed peppers on the mind for some time now (peppers in almost any form make me happy, but roasted are probably my fav) and this recipe was simple enough to lure me in. Maybe that's because it had peppers and fresh basil. ;)

The recipe comes from Two Peas & Their Pod. I notice that when I discover a new cooking blog I get on a kick, sifting through their recipes for new vegetarian options so we try out a number of them in a row. I think this blog has a nice balance because the wife of the duo is a vegetarian, but they still prepare meat dishes for her husband (and kids?).

(Note: These reheat nicely -- we took them to work for lunch and they were great out of the microwave.)

Orzo Stuffed Peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1 (28 ounce can) can diced tomatoes*
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups orzo
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
6 sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes. Stir in the spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

3. Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and stir in the spinach mixture. Set aside.

4. Meanwhile, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook for five minutes. The orzo should be only partially cooked because it will finish cooking in the oven. Strain the orzo pasta, making sure you save the vegetable broth.

5. Stir the orzo into the tomato spinach mixture. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil.

6. Pour the vegetable broth into a 3-quart baking dish. Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all ribs and seeds. Cut a very thin slice from the base so the peppers will stand up in the baking dish.

7. Place the peppers in the baking dish and spoon the orzo mixture into the peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40- 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the top of each pepper with additional cheese and continue baking until the cheese is golden, about 15 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and let peppers sit for five minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 6 stuffed peppers

*Note: We did as the recipe said and use canned tomatoes but I can't wait to try fresh, ripe tomatoes -- even something small and sweet such as grape tomatoes would probably be fabulous.

23 months

Could it be that Christian's second year on earth has flown by faster than the first?

Maybe it just feels that way because he is twice as fast as we are these days.

enabling power & lifting burdens

I didn't get to catch the whole thing (Christian was a little clingy when I dropped him off at nursery), but I have to say what I heard of Shane's Sunday School lesson was EXCELLENT. He focused in on not only the redeeming power of the atonement of Christ but also the enabling power we can ask for. The Spirit was strong as people made comments and I left feeling an increased desire to pray for strength to progress.

Then, I stumbled across this video on "Lifting Burdens" at lds.org this morning which emphasizes the some of the same principles. I thought I'd post in case any of you could use a "boost" this week.

ready to run

Today Shane and I signed up to run the Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond the first weekend of April. It will be the first time we do a race together and we're really excited. We ran outside together the first year of our marriage but since then our schedules have been off and Shane normally runs at the gym while I prefer to run in our neighborhood where possible.

We've definitely been feeling a bit sluggish as winter continues to drag out so we figured that signing up for a race would give us extra incentive to get out and train this month.

We hope to see some familiar faces down there at the start and finish lines. If you're interested you can sign up here. Monument Avenue is gorgeous and our cousins in Richmond said this is definitely a race worth running.

what was i thinking?

Thought I'd be a nice mom and hook Christian up with the mini-cupcake I got in Young Womens today. Too bad I didn't think to wait and give it to him after we got home from church. Crumbs everywhere. Though he didn't seem to mind too much.

presidents' day

Monday was chilly but we made the trek up to Lincoln's Memorial to pay our respects.

From the top we had a great view of the Washington Monument, so we were able to remember both great men and their contributions to our nation.

Currently the reflecting pool and paths around the Lincoln are being remodeled. The finished product should be ready for viewing this summer.

if i could really sew

I would be making something like this...

or this...

or this...

...but longer, of course, so I could actually wear it out.

frumpy

I've been a total frump lately.

And for that, I feel like I should take a moment to apologize publicly.

Phew. I just had to get that off my chest.

I realize those most affected by my frumpiness are my loving husband and son, but my coworkers, neighbors, and friends have had to suffer because of my sorry-ness as well.

Maybe it's just the winter blues but no part of me -- my hair, skin, nails, make-up, etc. -- seem to be cooperating lately. It's downright embarrassing. (I'm seriously ready to star on an Oprah-makeover show. Too bad she's just finished filming her last episode!)

I know, I know -- "it's the inside that counts" and I DO believe that. But you gotta admit, how you feel you look on the outside has a definite impact on your confidence level and relationships with those around you.

Hoping I can pull out of this rut soon...but in the meantime, know that if I've been a bit unsocial it really is me, not you.

{Note: This post is in NO WAY to garner some back-handed compliments. Just voicing what I've been feeling for the past few weeks.}

counting down

Recently, we made our last direct tuition payment to The George Washington Law School. While we'll likely have student loans to pay off for years to come, it still felt pretty good. After nearly four years of being a full time worker by day and a law school student by night, Shane's GW days are finally coming to an end. Good thing, too, because we both realize we are "burning out" on the crazy schedules we've been keeping.

So -- to help us stay focused on goal that lies within grasp -- Christian and I put together a paper chain for Family Home Evening to help us count down the days till Shane's graduation on May 15.
Simple, but hey, it makes us all pretty happy to see it shrinking bit by bit. And Christian loves being lifted up and asked to do the honors. (Although we've had to stop him from ripping more than one -- guess he's a little impatient to get this law school thing over with. Can't really blame him. Shane often jokes that Christian knows him as the guy who comes home late and then goes and hides in the back room surrounded by books and a computer.)

It's bittersweet for us to think this chapter is finally coming to a close. Our entire married life has been focused on getting Shane through law school. We were married at the end of June and he started school early that August. Still, while we've enjoyed most of our adventures along this particular path, we're excited to move on to something new -- even if we still don't know exactly what or where that path will be.

So, only 102 days till graduation day...

ranunculus

Ranunculus. Now that five times fast.
These just might be my new favorite flower. How have I never heard of them before?They are related to buttercups but kind of remind me of peonies, which I adore.Either way, they are probably the best flower purchase I've ever made. I picked them up for $5 at Trader Joe's and they've beautified our home for two weeks now. Score.