Rainbow Orzo with Vegetable Mélange

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb. Pappardelle’s Rainbow Orzo
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. mushrooms, quartered
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, quartered and sliced
1 large carrot, julienned
1/4 lb. snow peas, ends trimmed
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/2 lb. asparagus, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
5 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese*
1 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, not oil packed, chopped

*Or use a few spoonfuls of Pappardelle's Lemon Alfredo Sauce

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over high heat until smoking hot. Immediately add mushrooms, stirring constantly until browned, about 5-10 minutes. Remove and reserve.
Heat remaining olive oil in same pot over high heat until smoking hot. Immediately add remaining vegetables (except sun-dried tomatoes) and cook 10 minutes, stirring almost constantly.
Add reserved mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, stock, seasonings and orzo to pot. Reduce heat to medium and stir frequently until stock comes to simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir almost constantly until orzo absorbs most of stock. Turn off heat, cover pot and wait for 15 minutes.
Stir orzo to make sure all stock is absorbed. Serve immediately, sprinkling Parmesan over each serving at the table. (-Or- *Use a few spoonfuls of Pappardelle’s (11 oz.) Lemon Alfredo Sauce instead of Parmesan.)