Monday, May 9, 2016

Blog With Friends: Summer Orzo Salad

Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends theme collaborations. Each month a group of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about this partnership is that it’s not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may have a recipe, sewing tutorial, crafts projects, book review and/or a technology post all related to the theme of the month.

Blog With Friends | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


This month's theme is Teacher Appreciation. There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here’s a peek at what we all came up with:

Blog With Friends, multiple bloggers each sharing a project. This month's theme: Teacher Appreciation | www.BakingInATornado




My contribution is Summer Orzo Salad, and I guess I'd better explain myself. For most people, teacher appreciation means year end gifts. For us it did too. Of course I'm not advocating handing your favorite teacher a bowl of a side dish. 


Summer Orzo Salad, a light and refreshing side dish highlighting the flavors of the fresh berries of the season. Perfect for the family or for large barbecues. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #berries

Summer Orzo Salad

At our school, we not only did year end gifts, but we had two wonderful appreciation functions.  During parent/teacher meeting evenings, teachers often were at the school talking with parents from the time school ended for the day until 8:00 or 9:00 pm. The parent/teacher associated sponsored a teacher appreciation dinner at the school for the educators on those nights. They'd bring in some of the food, but asked volunteers to provide paper goods, and drinks, cook side dishes and bake desserts.

My first year at the school I volunteered to provide whatever was needed and was told that would be a side dish. I wanted to make something light and fairly healthy. What I came up with was a cold orzo salad using fresh berries and yogurt. It was a hit and I was asked to bring the Summer Orzo Salad every year after.

It was at the second yearly function that I found out that my Summer Orzo Salad had been renamed. 

At the end of the year, the teachers put on a similar function, a lunch in the teacher's room, for all of their classroom volunteers. One teacher who had taken my recipe actually made it for the Volunteer Luncheon. And she was calling it Appreciation Salad. Works for me.

So for my Teacher Appreciation post today, I'm sharing that recipe.


I have to admit that this is a very simple side dish to make. 

Summer Orzo Salad, a light and refreshing side dish highlighting the flavors of the fresh berries of the season. Perfect for the family or for large barbecues. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #berries



You cook the orzo al dente, then mix the dressing, which is just four ingredients.

Summer Orzo Salad, a light and refreshing side dish highlighting the flavors of the fresh berries of the season. Perfect for the family or for large barbecues. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #berries



Add the fresh fruit and refrigerate.

Summer Orzo Salad, a light and refreshing side dish highlighting the flavors of the fresh berries of the season. Perfect for the family or for large barbecues. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #berries



When ready to serve, top with oat clusters. That's it!


Summer Orzo Salad, a light and refreshing side dish highlighting the flavors of the fresh berries of the season. Perfect for the family or for large barbecues. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #berries

As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!


Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects.


Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares What Teachers Really Appreciate


Minette of Southern Belle Charm shares how to make her Dollar Store Wind Chimes.



Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares A is for Apple


Rabia of The Lieber Family Blog shares The Dos and Don'ts of Teacher Appreciation Gifts.


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


Summer Orzo Salad
                                            ©www.BakingInATornado.com

NOTE: This recipe serves about 6 people as a side dish. When taking to a function, I triple the recipe. 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup orzo
1/4 cup greek lemon yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
2 TBSP honey
3 fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 - 3 oz fresh blackberries
2 - 3 oz fresh raspberries 
OPT: 1/3 cup Honey Bunches of Oats clusters (you can take them out of the cereal or you can buy the clusters only)

Directions:
*Rinse the fruit, gently pat and allow to dry on the counter.
*Cook the orzo al dente, according to package directions. Rinse well with cold water, a few times, to completely stop the cooking process. Drain well and refrigerate in a bowl.
*Chop or crush the cereal clusters so the pieces are small. Seal in a plastic bag and set aside until ready to serve.
*Mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, honey and fresh mint. Add this mixture to the orzo. Very gently, so as to break up the fruit as little as possible, fold the fruit into the orzo. Cover and refrigerate.
*When ready to serve, top with the cereal clusters, if desired.

14 comments:

  1. Bear in mind I am not a whiz in the kitchen :-) but why had it never occurred to me to combine with berries?? This be brilliant :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love using fresh fruits every chance I get this time of year.

      Delete
  2. I love this. I think I will make it for a Memorial Day party. So pretty with the berries.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you're going to try it, Haralee. Let me know what you think.

      Delete
  3. A recipe I might actually not mess up. Score! This looks delicious and would be great at a cook out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mmmmm . . . Going out to buy Orzo. You've widened my world!

    ReplyDelete
  5. How flattering that someone renamed your recipe and prepared it for "appreciation". Looks really good and great for a summer BBQ too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, it was kind of funny to have my own recipe served to me under another name, but I really was flattered.

      Delete
  6. I should not read your blog before going to bed. Now I'm hungry.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Replies
    1. Thanks, Rabia. We love orzo too, looks like rice but surprise, it's pasta!

      Delete

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