Tuesday Night

To be honest, James didn't like the main portion of this meal...he said it was too bland.  I didn't think it was necessarily bland, but it did lack the "spice" I normally put into my recipes!  So I'll put it like this, this one will likely be a hit for the kiddos and adults who aren't looking for something spicy...

Meatballs w/ Orzo

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 2 C beef broth
• 1 C uncooked orzo pasta
• 3/4 lb frozen cooked meatballs
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (*I got the Italian kind so if you wanted some spice you could get a more mexican food style can)
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning (*Again, here you can create your own seasoning to spice it up a bit)
• 1/3 C grated Parmesean cheese

1. In large skillet, cook onion in olive oil until tender.  Add beef broth and bring to a boil.
2. Stir in orzo, meatballs, tomatoes and sesasoning; stir.
3. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, simmer 7-8 minutes until liquid is reduced stirring occasionally. *The orzo tends to stick so scraping the bottom is a good idea!
4. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Asparagus

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb asparagus
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• *if you like garlic, I added a bit of it to the mix

1. Cut off ends of asparagus to your liking then toss in olive oil, salt and if you choose, garlic.  Place on heavy baking pan and roast at 425 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes until tender and begins to brown.

Garlic Bread

Time:30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 loaf French bread
• 5 Tbs butter, softened
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed (less if you don't like garlic...its pretty potent)
• salt and pepper

1. Cut bread into 1/2" slices. In a small bowl mix butter, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Spread evenly on the slices.
2. Reassemble the bread to form the loaf and wrap in foil.  Place in 425 degree oven for 10-20 minutes or until the bread appears done.