Quick and Easy Lemon Orzo with Parmesan and Peas

As the winter is starting to melt away we make recipes that scream spring like this quick and easy lemon orzo with Parmesan and peas.

We toast the orzo first to give it a delicious nutty flavor, and then add minced garlic for boldness. The orzo is then cooked with chicken broth and then we add peas, lemon and fresh thyme. It is a bright dish that is the perfect transition into spring!

The Beauty of Garden Produce

There’s truly nothing better than fresh garden produce. I didn’t understand this as a child and I don’t know that many people have experienced true farm to table even today. Mom and Dad would harvest the garden with all of us kids at the end of summer, but for me it was the excitement of fresh corn, homemade raspberry jam, and making boats to float in our mudroom sink made out of hollowed out cucumbers, while Mom and Dad were anxious to cut open a juicy tomato, sprinkle it with a little salt and savor every bite.

I’m not kidding. I did not get that. I still don’t eat a tomato like an apple. Do you?

I have gained such an appreciation for food that you’ve labored over. It’s a fact: fresh picked tastes better.

Unfortunately, it’s not time for fresh peas but when they are ready we will be shelling them for this quick and easy lemon orzo with parmesan and peas. We often eat this as a main dish (check our our ham version for a main dish), but it’s wonderful and light so it makes a great healthy side dish as well.

What is Orzo?

I love this question; it’s so satisfying to see people’s reactions when they learn that orzo isn’t a grain, despite the fact that it looks like one. Spoiler: orzo is actually a flat, rice-shaped pasta that’s great in soups, salads, or enjoyed as is.

How is Orzo Different from Rice?

Although orzo can be cooked like rice and has similar nutritional information, it cooks up in about half the time. This is the number one reason why I love cooking with orzo. Well, that and the fact that I like the shape. And it tastes really good, especially when you toast it first. Okay, there are a lot of reasons why I love orzo. 

Is Orzo Healthier Than Rice?

Orzo has higher protein and fiber content than rice, but orzo has slightly higher carbohydrates per serving. Because orzo is higher in protein and fiber, it will help you feel fuller for longer which can help with weight loss.

Tips on How to Cook Orzo

Like I mentioned above, you can cook orzo like pasta, boiling it in liquid, which works well if you’re serving it in soup because you can

Egg roll in a bowl ramen is an irresistible skillet of deconstructed egg rolls tossed with ramen noodles and I’m telling you now that you are going to love it.

I’ve been holding out on you, my friends. I first made this over a month ago and I’ve made it four more times since then. It was an immediate family favorite from the very first bite, and right now, I can’t get enough of it.

Egg Roll Ramen Skillet

The key to stress-free stir-fry recipes is prepping everything in advance. And this egg roll in a bowl with ramen works the same way. You’ll want to have the ingredients prepared and lined up next to the stove before you turn on the heat.

The bulk of the prep time for this recipe is spent slicing the vegetables. If you can find a bag of shredded matchstick carrots at the store, you’ll have everything prepped in just minutes. (And if you need to slice the carrots yourself, don’t stress, it honestly doesn’t take all that much time or effort!)

Once everything is assembled and ready to cook, the actual cooking time is barely ten minutes. You’ll need a large, deep skillet to stir fry. I typically use a pan like this one or this one

Did you know that you can make creamy, rich, and saucy stovetop mac and cheese from scratch in the same amount of time it takes to cook boxed mac and cheese?

And I’m happy to say that this pasta is infinitely tastier than the boxes of mac and cheese that used to have a home in our pantry.

Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

I’ve tried countless mac and cheese recipes over the years and never found one that I truly loved. This recipe though is absolutely foolproof and it turns out wonderfully creamy every time.

I am so very happy to have a new favorite dinner and my kids are pretty excited about it too. I’ve made this creamy mac and cheese at least a half dozen times over the past few months and we absolutely love it.

The recipe below is loosely adapted from a mac and cheese recipe that I found over on Cookie & Kate. The spices here are the game-changer – adding the garlic, onion, ground mustard, and a pinch of cayenne makes such a lovely difference.

Everyone has their own opinion on the best mac and cheese recipe. For me, the best mac and cheese is creamy as it possibly can be.

While lots of people swear by baked mac and cheese, I’m a stovetop mac and cheese girl for life.

Mac and Cheese with Heavy Cream

Want to make this even easier? Or would you prefer to skip the step with the flour? Replace the milk with additional heavy cream (for a total of 1 ½ cups heavy cream). Skip the flour. Just warm

My Favorite Lasagna Recipe

We have been long overdue for an update to this hearty meat lasagna recipe! I have been working on making it the BEST classic lasagna recipe ever, and this is finally it!

We layer this lasagna with our authentic bolognese meat sauce, a creamy bechamel sauce and 2 types of cheese all tucked between layers of lasagna noodles. You’re absolutely going to love this easy lasagna recipe!

It was 2009 when I first posted this recipe…2009…15 years! SO much has changed since then…we’ve expanded our family. We’ve moved (three times). We’ve progressed from toddlers and tantrums to teenagers and still tantrums 🤪. It seems natural that this lasagna recipe should change a little too. It’s now better and bolder and everything a homemade lasagna should be.

Ingredients for Hearty Meat Lasagna

I’m going to divide up the ingredients list between the three different parts of this recipe – the meat sauce, the bechamel sauce and the items needed to assemble the lasagna. Here is what you will need:

Meat Bolognese Sauce

• Butter and Olive Oil
• Vegetables: Carrots, Celery, Red Onion, Garlic
• Proteins: Ground Beef and Italian Sausage
• Tomatoes: Roasted Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Fire Roasted Tomatoes (canned)
• Milk and Heavy Cream
• Cooking Wine
• Lemon Zest and Juice
• Seasonings: Nutmeg, Bay Leaves, Salt and Pepper

Bechamel Sauce

• Butter
• Flour
• Whole Milk
• Nutmeg
• Kosher Salt
• Pepper

Lasagna Ingredients

• Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
• Fresh Parmesan
• Mozzarella Cheese

Don’t be alarmed! You did not read ricotta cheese in that ingredients list. We actually found that we preferred the lasagna without it! Keep scrolling to the end of the post for the measurements for each ingredient.

How to Make Homemade Meat Lasagna

To Make the Meat Sauce

1. Prepare the bolognese sauce as instructed in that post and set aside.

For the Bechamel Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Sprinkle in the flour continuously whisking it in until a paste forms and it bubbles a little.
3. Add in the milk slowing still whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer until it thickens.
4. Whisk in the salt, pepper and nutmeg.

For the Lasagna

1. Prehea

Browned Butter Pork and Butternut Squash Lasagna

This isn’t your traditional lasagna, but oh good heavens, the flavors of pork, butternut squash, browned butter, sage, and cheese is pure comfort! Browned butter pork and butternut squash lasagna is about to be your new favorite lasagna recipe!

You won’t find tomatoes, ricotta cheese or tomato sauce in this lasagna, but it is bringing all the feelings of warm winter comfort food to our family! The flavors are the most amazing combination! I mean it’s got pork, one of my all time favorite meats, browned butter-pure heaven, carbs-who doesn’t love carbs, and melty, gooey, delicious cheese. BOO-YAH!

I love comfort food more than anything else. Sure smoked pulled pork is stinking delicious, and Hawaiian Pulled Pork is absolutely mouth watering, but make me choose between one of those recipes and a comfort food like Browned Butter Butternut and Pork Lasagna and hands down the lasagna wins.

Creating Butternut Squash Lasagna

As soon as I got the email from the National Pork Board to create a few recipes for them I knew I’d say yes to working with them, but then they wanted comfort recipes?! Heck yeah I’m on board with that. And this lasagna was born. And we loved it. And now you will too.

I was looking through the recipe section on the Pork Be Inspired site and man, everything looks so juicy and delicious! I’ve found many a wonderful recipe there, but I was actually trying to make sure that there wasn’t a recipe like this one, which there isn’t. Butternut squash actually smells comforting. It’s so warm, nutty, and creamy. I just knew that a combination of my favorite fall/winter flavor with pork was totally the way to go. Oh, and there’s a secret in the puree, Ginger Snap cookies. Trust me, it’s exactly what the puree needs.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Lasagna

I’m going to divide this recipe into 3 different parts – the butternut squash, the browned butter sauce (béchamel sauce) and the lasagna layers.

For the Squash

• Butternut Squash: peeled and chopped, ready for roasting
• Olive Oil: helps roast and caramelize the squash
• Salt & Black Pepper: adds flavor
• Sage: you’ll want fresh sage and we will use it to add flavor to the butternut squash puree
• Ginger Snap Cookies: an unexcepted ingredient but the flavor it adds it crucial

For the Browned Butter Sauce

• Butter: browned for added flavor and creates the base for the béchamel
• Garlic: adds flavor and can be increased or decreased to your liking
• Flour: combined with the butter is creates the creamy base for the béchamel
• Low Fat Milk: helps thin out the sauce
• Half and Half: adds creaminess and richness
• Nutmeg: adds flavor and warmth
• Salt and Black Pepper: adds flavor

For the Lasag