Baked Orzo

Here’s a recipe that we tried for the first time last night. I got it off Food Network's “Everyday Italian.” Here’s a link to the recipe online. It was a hearty pasta dish that was made interesting by peas and mushrooms. NOTE: Next time, I’ll probably double the amount of mushrooms because they really make the dish. If you do that, I assume you’d have to adjust the butter and Marsala wine accordingly. Also, it calls for fresh mozzarella and fontina cheeses. Doubtless, it would be better that way, but groceries are wicked expensive right now, and this being my first time with this recipe, I opted for the substantially cheaper Italian blend of shredded cheeses. If I were making this for company, I’d definitely get the better cheese.

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas

4 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Enjoy.

I am about to begin cooking and freezing meals for Michael and me to eat after the baby comes. If I don't do this, the temptation to just order pizza or run out for fast food will be too overwhelming. Even with a store of healthy meals, there will probably be a lot of fast food consumed. So if anyone has any recipes, cookbooks, or websites that contain freezer-friendly recipes, I'd appreciate the suggestion. You know what that means: It's time to pull out those casserole recipes. Thanks.