Orzo with Tomatoes, Basil, and Blue Cheese

I've had this recipe saved to make forever and I finally made it sometime last week.  Sadly, (so sadly), I cannot get Gorgonzola here.... or at least I haven't seen any.  But I can find regular blue cheese.  This time, it came from Bavaria, Germany and it's really good.  I buy a small amount at a time, because I'm the only one in the fam that eats it.  I avoided it while pregnant, but am getting my share of it now.  It is sooooo good and I love it so much!  Tonight, my husband threw some onto the Grilled Naan Pizzas he made for me (the rest of the fam just had provolone and pepperoni on theirs. 

Anyway, back to this recipe.... it was good, and my husband and I loved it.  The rest of the fam just had Parmesan on theirs, since they don't like blue cheese.  Anytime my kids see orzo, they think it should be this recipe; it's like a crime if I try to do something new with orzo.  They LOVE that Parmesan/Basil one.... really, really love it.  They're always disapointed if they see orzo on the table and it's not their fave orzo.  Makes it hard to try new orzo recipes!  I even gave them a few warnings during the day.  "Hey guys, I'm making a new orzo recipe tonight.  It's not the one we usually have; it's new, ok?"  But they still didn't seem to get it, come dinnertime!  They were all like "Is this the one we like?"  Hello!  Sheesh!  I think they think the word "Orzo" means "Parmesan/Basil Orzo".  Ha ha!  Anyway, here is the recipe.

PS:  You could use Feta instead of Blue Cheese- that would be really good.  I was actually going to pick some up for the Blue Cheese haters, but my store was out of the crumbled stuff, and I was feeling too lazy to crumble a block myself.  :)

Orzo with Tomatoes, Basil, and Blue Cheese
adapted from Allrecipes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta (I used half white and half whole wheat)

1 small red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

                  

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

12 leaves fresh basil, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue cheese (or Feta), to taste

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the orzo pasta; cook and stir until the orzo has lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the onion, and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 1 clove of garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cover; simmer until the orzo is tender yet still a little firm to the bite, 12 to 14 minutes.

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, 1/2 of the fresh basil, garlic, and remaining olive oil.               

3.  Spoon the cooked orzo into a serving bowl. Top with tomato mixture, and sprinkle with Gorgonzola and remaining basil.               

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