My Mom made Toasted Orzo earlier this summer, back when we had the Kale with Grilled Sausage and White Beans.  It reminded me of years ago when we used to make Rice-a-Roni, though she might kill me for saying that.  While I do like rice, I actually like orzo even more.

I found this recipe which is incredibly simple, and makes a perfect batch.  You brown the orzo in a saucepan with a bit of olive oil, and then simmer it covered for 10-15 minutes with the broth of your choice.  I generally use Knorr’s Vegetable Broth, but you can use chicken bouillon if you’d prefer.  If you’d like to reduce the amount of sodium, you can use half broth and half water.  If a bottle of white wine is already open, you could add a splash of that too.

This side dish complements almost any meal, and is so much better than any San Francisco treat.

• sides