Whether you need to bring a side dish to a pot luck, are having a crowd over for dinner, or want to serve a light meal to your family, try this orzo recipe – you won’t disappoint!  This dish can be put together the day before needed.  Just bring it to room temperature and serve.  Top the orzo with cooked shrimp or sliced chicken and you will have dinner done!

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Orzo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, Mozzarella, and Raisins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6

Calories 222kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup orzo 10 oz.
• 3 Tbsp pine nuts
• 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts drained
• 1/4 cup olive oil plus a little more for pasta
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp sea or kosher salt
• 1/3 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 2/3 cup fresh mozzarella cubed
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

• Cook orzo according to package and drain in a colander.  Rinse with cold water and add a little olive oil so pasta doesn't stick together. 
• Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
• Drain the artichokes and quarter.
• In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
• To the bowl, add the artichokes, orzo, pine nuts, tomatoes, raisins, basil, mozzarella and zest.  Toss together.  Serve at room temperature.

This recipe was inspired by Gina Homolka’s cookbook, The Skinnytaste.  We added a few more spices to give it a little kick.  Using olive oil and lemon juice as the liquid for the breading process keeps calories down to about 200 calories per roll.  Spraying the chicken prior to cooking with cooking spray gives the breadcrumb coating a great crunch.  Fried chicken flavor with out the calories or mess!

Not only does this dish taste great, but it can be assembled and refrigerated in the morning and cooked at dinner time (let it sit on the counter for a half hour before putting into the oven).

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Low-fat Chicken, Zucchini & Mozzarella Roll-ups

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 400kcal

Ingredients

• Cooking spray olive oil
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 ½ whole zucchini shredded*
• 1/4 cup plus 2 T Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 8 thin chicken breast cutlets
• 1 cup Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper more if desired
• 1 egg white mixed with fork
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450°.  Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 teaspoon of the oil and the garlic.  Cook until golden, about 1 minute.
• Add the zucchini, 1/4 cup Parmesan, red pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste.  Cook until zucchini is tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Add the mozzarella and mix well.
  
• Arrange chicken cutlets on a cutting board.  Spread each cutlet with 3 tablespoons of the zucchini-cheese mixture.  Loosely roll up and set aside, seam side down.
  
• In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cayenne pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.
• In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper.
• Dip the rolled chicken in the lemon mixture, then into the bread crumbs, rolling to coat evenly.  Place the chicken seam side down in the baking dish.  Spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray.  Bake until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
  

Notes

*Grate the zucchini over a paper-towel lined bowl to absorb moisture.

One of our favorite places to “do” lunch in downtown St. Pete is at the MFA Café (255 Beach Drive NE at the Museum of Fine Arts).  You can sit inside or enjoy your lunch on the patio at the rear of the museum overlooking Vinoy Basin.  A fabulous sandwich on their menu is a caprese tapenade baguette.  Using their ingredients as inspiration, The Simple Celebration came up with a similar recipe and it is equally as delicious!

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St. Pete Caprese Sandwich

Course Lunch

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 4 small rolls - such as cheese, olive, or Rosemary
• 3 Tbsp chunky olive tapenade we like Trader Joe's
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella
• 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes sliced in fourths or halves depending on size of tomato
• 1/4 cup fresh basil sliced
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• Avocado thinly sliced (optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cut each roll in half and place on a platter.     
  
• Spread tapenade over 4 halves of the bread.
• Top with mozzarella (if using avocado layer it next).  
• Place tomatoes and basil in a small bowl, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.
• Place tomatoes on top of mozzarella.  Cover with top of roll.

Notes

Serve with tomato and basil soup.

Don’t have a panini press?  No worries, just use a non-stick skillet and remember to press down on your sandwich with a metal spatula.

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Tomato & Triple Cheese Panini

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Equipment

• Panini Press

Ingredients

• sourdough bread cut in 4 - 1/2 inch slices
• 1 package Boursin cheese spread - garlic & herbs
• fresh mozzarella sliced into 6 thin slices
• 4 slices provolone
• 4 slices tomato sliced thin
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• fresh basil 4-6 large leaves
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• On 2 slices of bread, spread a generous amount of Boursin.      
• Top with mozzarella, provolone, tomato, avocado and basil.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Top with remaining bread.
• With a brush, spread half of the olive oil on each of the top slices of bread.
• Place oiled side down in preheated panini press (or skillet) then brush plain bread with oil and close press.
• Cook until cheese melts and bread in golden brown.

Notes

If you make this recipe in a fry pan, be sure to push hard on the bread while it cooks to get a nice flattened sandwich with gooey cheese.

Serve with our tomato and basil soup.

For this recipe, you can substitute the spinach with sliced zucchini and mozzarella with any cheese you like.  Serve a simple green salad on the side and you have a meal!

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A Quick Quiche Lunch

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine French

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 9- inch baked pie shell
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 medium tomato sliced thin
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp flour
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half or milk
• 1/2 tsp oregano or basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• fresh basil leaves and black pepper for topping Chopped

Instructions

• Bake pie shell as directed on package.  
• In large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and spinach in butter for about 5 minutes.
• Place half of the tomato slices on bottom of pie shell.         
• Sprinkle spinach mixture, cheeses, and flour into pie shell.
• Beat together remaining ingredients until well blended and pour over vegetables and cheeses.
• Top with remaining tomato slices, fresh basil leaves, and pepper.
• Bake in pre-heated 375° oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

Notes

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.