Baked Orzo with Chicken, Tomatoes and Peas

Baked Orzo with Chicken, Tomatoes and Peas

I think the reason many people like casseroles so much is because its an ultimate comfort food. How can you resist a warm, creamy, cheesy dish? This casserole is a dinner everyone can appreciate and enjoy. It’s super easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of prep time, so it’s perfect during the week for busy moms and dads. Kids will love the casserole because of all the kid friendly flavors like chicken, cheese, tomatoes, and peas.

I did however tried to keep it light and nutritious, but sometimes you just need a good comforting casserole for dinner, am I right? Hope you enjoy this one!!!

Meal planner – Week 2

 

Happy Friday! Its a beautiful day here is San Diego! Sunny and warm… My husband and I are taking advantage of it and going for a hike tomorrow, I can’t wait! Hopefully you all have exciting plans this weekend. I am sharing another weekly plan that is looking awfully tasty! I have two new one-pot dishes that are easy and ready in 30 minutes, and couple of dishes that i shared before, plus a couple of breakfast ideas! Enjoy!

If you make one of my recipes, take a picture and share on Instagram! Use hashtag #oceanviewkitchen

Have a nice weekend!

enjoy the little things:) olga

Meal planner – Week 1

 

Weekly Meal Planner

 

Welcome to My Meal Planning Corner! I am starting a new feature on my blog, where I would share easy, flavor-packed meals that you can throw together even on a busiest week nights!

Pasta with Spinach Pesto and Bacon Bites

Pasta with Spinach Pesto and Bacon Bites

The word pesto comes from an Italian word meaning “to pound or crush”. Although pesto made with basil is best known, it can be prepared with different greens, herbs, nuts and seeds. Today I am sharing spinach pesto with Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. It’s absolutely delicious! You wont believe it contains no basil. Divide any pesto leftovers into portions and keep in on hand in the freezer. Great with fish, scallops and grilled chicken. Add to soups, tomato sauce, flat bread and sandwiches.

Pasta with Spinach Pesto and Bacon Bites

Lobster Mac-n-Cheese

This is one of those recipes I’ve been wanting to make for quite some time. Fresh lobster and a blend of 3 cheeses are baked in a creamy lobster sauce to perfection. Yummy!!! Some stores carry already cooked lobster meat but if you cook your own, steam it whole in the shell for about 7 minutes. That’s all you need, don’t overcook. This is the dish that defines “comfort food”, rich and creamy and worth each and every calorie. If you love lobster and mac-n-cheese, then this is a must try!

Rice Pilaf with Roasted Butternut Squash, Barberries, and Pistachios

I was craving a hearty salad, but after I began pulling my ingredients together, I ended up making the rice pilaf. It actually happens quite often to me when I am cooking in the kitchen, I start with one idea but end up with completely different dish. This recipe is delicious, hearty and healthy! Don’t be intimidated by a long list of ingredients, it’s very easy to make. Begin by cooking the rice: I used brown rice but you can also use wild rice for this dish. First, sauté onions and carrots. Add fresh grated ginger, cumin, cinnamon and garlic. Then add water and rice and cook for about 45 minutes. While rice is cooking, roast butternut squash with fresh thyme, nutmeg, pinch of brown sugar and cayenne pepper for a bit of heat. Finally, transfer cooked rice to a bowl, top it with roasted butternut squash, pistachios, feta and fresh herbs if desired. You can’t go wrong with this recipe, as it makes a great base for you to add different ingredients. Change it up to make it your own!

Mac-n-Cheese Lasagna

Who doesn’t love lasagna? Who doesn’t love Mac-n-Cheese? Put the two together….can you say Heaven? I made this specially for my husband last weekend. He just came back from China and I thought that some good american comfort food was the way to go. I found bunch of recipes for both and used them as an inspiration to create this one. I used no-boil lasagna noodles, which was super easy and no pre-boiling required. I added apple smoked bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, peas and 3 different cheeses. So many layers of flavor… it was delicious! My taste buds are getting excited just writing about it! This is a dish that you can easily adjust to your taste. For a healthier version, you can go with turkey bacon instead of the regular kind ( but I would tell you that the apple smoke bacon really makes a difference!), low-fat cheese and olive oil instead of butter, its up to you. I hope you enjoy this recipe from my kitchen to yours!

Pancetta, Spinach and Tomato Bucatini with Garlic Bread Crumbs

I came across this recipe at “Cuisine at Home” magazine and thought that it will be a perfect weeknight meal. This delicious pasta takes so little time to make. Italian bacon ( pancetta) gives this dish a unique flavour and texture. This dish is very simple: Begin by cooking the pasta. I used bucatini, but you can use spaghetti or anything you have on hand. Prepare the garlic bread crumbs. It’s a perfect topping for this dish, crunchy and garlicky. Then, sauté the little bits of pancetta until the fat has rendered and the bacon has started to slightly brown. Then throw in the cherry tomatoes and beautiful leaks. Cook until tomatoes begin to brown and the leaks are wilted. Pour in a little wine and let it evaporated. Add the broth, vinegar and pepper flakes. Let it cook a little bit and reduce by third, then add spinach, fresh thyme, pancetta pieces and toss it with cooked pasta. Sprinkle with garlic bread crumbs. After I took a picture I sprinkle some Parmesan shavings which was a great addition. Check our the recipe below!

Spring Vegetable Risotto

 

Risotto is medium-grain rice (traditionally Italian-grown Arborio) cooked with hot broth and stirred constantly to turn its starch into a creamy sauce. Asparagus and leeks are the classic combination for risotto. To keep the asparagus from turning into mesh, I cooked it first until its crisp-tender, transferred to the plate and stirred it into the rice just before the serving. Adding a splash of lemon juice and the gremolata added an extra round of flavors. To make this dish vegetarian, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. Onions can be substituted for the leeks (2 minced medium onions (2 cups). At the end of cooking, you may have up to a cup of broth left over. This risotto has fresh yet complex taste with vegetables that retain some crisp bite. 

PEARLED COUSCOUS WITH TOMATOES, FETA, AND SPINACH

 

Israeli Couscous is a delicious substitute to your average pasta and rice and one of my favorites. I came across this recipe couple of weeks ago on Serious Eats and thought it will be perfect side dish to try during the week. It only takes 20 minutes to make it and goes well with any kind of grilled or braised meat, fish or poultry. All the ingredients came together just right, so I didn’t make any changes to the original recipe. Note: The feta will add a considerable amount of salt, especially if you’re using one in brine, so keep that in mind while seasoning the couscous.