Creamy Broccoli & Sun-dried Tomato Orzotto

Pampered Chef sent out a little consultant kit that included their newest Season's Best recipe book, Fall/Winter 2010. I had to try one of the recipes in it!! Before seeing this recipe, I'd never even heard of orzo pasta (who knew there was a past that looked like rice?). And I've never used sun-dried tomatoes in a recipe before (I don't count when I made a deluxe burger with my brother, since he dealt with the tomatoes). AND I've never used/heard of mascarpone cheese. So this was definitely an adventure! And for ~$2 per serving (this recipe serves 8), this was a good deal, because it means I'll get leftovers for lunch this week!!

Ingredients:
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
3 1/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine (ie: Chardonnay)
1 jar (8 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and patted dry
1 head broccoli (about 2 cups florets)
2 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded
6 oz mascarpone cheese
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Step 1:

Finely chop onions (I used the PC Food Chopper). Combine onion, pressed garlic, and olive oil in Deep Cover Baker (PC). Microwave (covered) on High 2 minutes.

Step 2:

Stir in orzo, broth, and wine. Microwave (covered) on High 14-16 minutes or until orzo is tender.

Step 3:

Meanwhile, thinly slice tomatoes, set aside. Cut broccoli into small florets. Grate Parmesan cheese (if bought ungrated/unshredded).

Step 4:

Remove baker from microwave. Stir in tomatoes and broccoli. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.

Step 5:

Add cheese to baker; mix well. Let stand, covered 2-3 minutes or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired (I didn't).

**Optional Step 6:

I decided that the recipe needed to have some MEAT in it! So I took a can of chicken (the one that's like a can of tuna), drained it, and mixed in it after Step 5 above.

Total time: 45 minutes

(including prep and cooking times)

And I must say, this is one of the bestest, easiest dishes I have ever made. It is a medley of YUM!!!! I highly recommend this recipe. If you don't like chicken, it's definitely good without, or you could try tuna (not sure how that would go). The main reason I added chicken is to make it an all-in-one dish, so I didn't need any sides or extras. If you try this with another sort of meat, let me know! I'd love to hear about variations!