Top Stovetop Recipes for Creamy Orzo and More
A box of orzo and other ingredients, such as sun-dried tomatoes, onions, broccoli, and other staples, can make several meals. Recipe ideas using these ingredients include one-pot creamy orzo recipes, pasta and pizza sauces, chicken gyros, hearty sandwiches, and fluffy pancakes. These and other ideas use familiar ingredients in new ways to interest home cooks.
Why These Stovetop Recipes Work
- Pantry Pasta Dishes: Orzo and other types of pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy sauces are pantry items that can be used in many dishes.
- Veggie Uses: Broccoli, onions, garlic, basil, and dill are good vegetable additions to chicken, cheese, and pasta dishes.
- Pantry and Other Ready-to-Eat Foods: Ideas for complete meals include serving pulled pork and chicken sausage with pita bread and sliced deli meats. Other ready-to-eat foods can be served with minimal preparation.
- Soothing Cheese Options: Swiss, Gruyere, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses can all be used to add flavor and comfort to sandwiches, orzo dishes, pasta sauces, and other creamy pasta dishes.
1. Deep-Fried Monte Cristo with Ham, Turkey, and Swiss
Deep-fried Monte Cristo sandwiches should be made in small batches of up to two sandwiches at a time, the number of sandwiches that can be battered and fried while the oil is heating. Monte Cristos contain slices of ham and turkey and Swiss cheese between slices of hearty bread. Powdered sugar and raspberry preserves finish the craggy fried coating. Use bread slices that are at least 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) thick. Thin sandwich bread won't work well in this batter. To allow room for melted Swiss cheese, I fold the meat between pieces of bread in each sandwich. I shape the sandwiches by hand and insert toothpicks diagonally into the corners of the sandwiches. Do this before coating with batter. I suggest purchasing a Dutch oven and deep-frying thermometer to make this dish. Do not fry more than two sandwiches at a time to avoid a major drop in oil temperature. The breading will be unevenly cooked and crunchy, and the cheese will melt. A slotted spoon will be useful for turning the sandwich. Drain the sandwiches on a rack. Slice the sandwiches into four triangular slices with a serrated knife. Dust the slices generously with confectioners' sugar. Offer red raspberry jam on the side in a small dish. I suggest pairing an Asian coleslaw or Vietnamese noodle salad with the dish for brunch when serving more than one person.
2. Greek Chicken Gyros with Homemade Tzatziki and Toasted Pita
Greek chicken gyros make four filled pitas. To save time on the day you serve them, I chop vegetables and warm the pita bread right before serving. Other ingredients are Greek chicken and garlic and dill tzatziki sauce. Dice chicken breast into 1-inch (2.5cm) chunks and let the seasoned pieces sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Place a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Avoid adding too many chicken pieces at once to prevent steaming. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side or until browned and cooked through to 165°F (74°C). To make the sauce, squeeze out excess water from chopped cucumbers with a kitchen towel, then mix the cucumbers with yogurt. I like thick tzatziki that clings to a spoon but not to pita bread (thin tzatziki is messy). Refrigerate fresh vegetables until ready to serve. Spread the sauce down the center of pita bread, then layer the fillings on top. Toast or heat pita in the empty pan for 30-45 seconds on both sides to soften, then serve on plain white plates. Sprinkle oregano and parsley over the pita as a garnish. Serve folded pita while still warm and soft. I enjoy cucumber-beet salad with this dish, but jalapeño coleslaw would also pair well with the garlic chicken.
3. Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese Wraps with BBQ Pork
Pulled pork with barbecue sauce is the main ingredient in these mac and cheese wrap sandwiches. This recipe is a convenient option for a one-dish meal using two prepared ingredients. Select a prepared pulled pork product and wrap it with mac and cheese in a flour tortilla. The crunchy edges and pulled pork filling appeal to me. I cook the pork and macaroni before making burritos. I place shredded cheese on the bottom of each tortilla, followed by macaroni and pork. Placing macaroni and cheese on top of the shredded cheese helps keep looser ingredients in place. All the ingredients are warm. I use large burrito-size tortillas, 10 inches or more in diameter, to avoid breaking when folding and rolling the sides of the tortilla over other ingredients to make burritos. I tightly roll tortillas lengthwise with the ends tucked inside to form a roll. I cook tortillas seam side down in a pan with melted butter over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. I use a spatula to press tortillas as they cook and remove them when they are browned on both sides and warm in the middle. I keep some tortilla intact around the edges of the wrap to help it hold together without overstretching the tortilla, even when you add tasty ingredients, because wraps tend to overflow. Provide a large skillet or griddle to allow turning of the wraps and slice wrapped items in half only after they come off the heat. Serve immediately for a crunchy texture.
4. Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce: 20-Minute Pasta Sauce
Make this sauce ahead of time to serve with pasta. Stir in basil just before serving. Some of the characteristics of this sauce are helpful for meal planning. Sun-dried tomatoes provide a tangy flavor contrast to the cream and Parmesan cheeses in the sauce (I like small bits of tomato in the sauce). This recipe yields enough sauce for 1 pound of cooked pasta. I start by adding a tablespoon of oil drained from the tomatoes and cooking the garlic for 30 seconds before adding the chopped tomatoes. I then add broth to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits and stir them into the sauce. I allow half the broth to reduce before adding the cream. A wide pan will reduce splattering while you stir. After adding cream, simmer. Cream that is boiled will curdle. Simmering for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat will thicken the cream. When using block Parmesan, I take my pan off the heat before adding shredded Parmesan and chopped basil and other seasonings. The sauce should be smooth as the Parmesan melts. As a supper dish, I've used it with penne, fettuccine, tortellini, and gnocchi. I've also served it with pan-fried and baked chicken breasts. Spinach can be added at the end to wilt in the sauce, and bread can be served alongside to sop up the pan juices. Other supper additions include grilled chicken or shrimp and Italian sausage.
5. French Onion Chicken Orzo with Gruyere and Mozzarella
French onion chicken orzo makes four dinners and can be portioned for a lunch meal for another serving. French onion chicken orzo is made in one pan, with some reserved for lunch and other parts with jammy onions served over orzo and cheese, also browned from broiling. I slice onions in half lengthwise and cook them in a pan over medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes until onions are browned and can be heaped over the meat. Browned onions start the gravy. The smell of browned onions provides additional flavor to the meal. After cooking the chicken, I sauté orzo in the skillet until tan, pour in broth and cream, scrape up browned bits, return chicken to the skillet with the pasta, and continue cooking in the skillet to thicken the sauce. Beef broth can be used to darken the color of the sauce in the skillet. I take the chicken out of the skillet slightly undercooked, as it will finish cooking while broiling in the cast-iron skillet. I grate Gruyere cheese into chunks and broil the Gruyere and mozzarella cheeses until they are brown and melted. Serve this meal immediately from the pan with air-fried green beans. I prefer to eat the onions in the center of the meal and season the Gruyere cheese at the table with fresh thyme and black pepper to taste.
6. Fluffy Pancake Recipe with Homemade Buttermilk
I cook this pancake recipe, which serves four, for breakfast and another day of breakfast. I eat the pancakes with maple syrup and berries. This recipe calls for letting the batter sit before cooking the pancakes; the pancakes are thick, fluffy, and browned on the edges (I like the browned edges). Start by spooning and leveling flour into the measuring cup. This will help avoid packing the flour and give you a more accurate measurement. I mix vinegar into regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes while I do other prep work. This homemade buttermilk adds acidity to help the baking soda. Once wet and dry ingredients are mixed, mix until no traces of flour remain. Avoid excessive mixing unless you like slightly lumpy batter, as I do. Excessive mixing can result in gummy pancakes due to excess gluten. Small bubbles will form on the batter surface if it is left to sit. I use a non-stick skillet and a small amount of butter or oil over medium heat to cook my pancakes. Use 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form and the edges appear dry. Pancakes cooked in a very hot pan will be scorched on the outside before they are fully cooked on the inside. Pancakes cooked in a very cool pan won't rise much. Serve hot.
7. White Garlic Pizza Sauce with Parmesan and Black Pepper
Prepare this white garlic pizza sauce ahead of time for pizza night. Allow it to cool a bit before topping the pizza with cheese and other raw ingredients to avoid making the sauce too wet from contact with the cheese. Makes 8 servings. Each serving includes garlic and coarse pepper (see photo). I use a heavy saucepan and a wire whisk to test the sauce with a wooden spoon at thickness and gloss (visible bits of pepper). Milk should be heated to a gentle simmer, not boiled. I take the saucepan off the heat before adding Parmesan cheese and whisk the flour for a minute before adding milk gradually and whisking vigorously. Caramelize the garlic, but don't burn it. I use black pepper because of the little black flecks in the white sauce. I like to shred the Parmesan cheese just before I start. The pizza crust will cook quickly at 500°F (260°C). The mozzarella should begin to brown in places after 10 to 12 minutes. I cover the sauce with a sauce lid and sprinkle parsley over the hot pizza before serving. I serve a tart salad with slices of pizza as a side dish for dinner (it complements the cheese).
8. Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Orzo: A Creamy One-Pan Dinner
Chicken sausage and broccoli orzo is a dish I cook at home to eat for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. I can quickly separate leftovers of cooked orzo, chicken sausage, and broccoli after dinner for lunch. The sauce for orzo is creamy, like risotto. I like firm broccoli in this dish. I sauté the sausage slices in a large, heavy skillet after the oil shimmers. I don't move the slices while sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes, then lift the slices out of the pan once they are browned on the cut sides so that their drippings can flavor the broth and orzo. I boil the broth and stir it during cooking to help thicken the broth and pasta starch in the pan. I do not rinse the pasta. I lower the heat to a simmer before adding dairy to the pan. I use freshly grated parmesan cheese from a block to help create a smooth sauce. I serve it right away in shallow white ceramic bowls with additional toppings of grated parmesan cheese, coarse black pepper, and flat-leaf parsley. I also offer a side of fresh salad with lemon dressing. Another side I'd offer with a family dinner is broccoli cheese rice casserole.
Pin this post
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
