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There’s nothing better than a summer picnic! I love being outdoors, enjoying beautiful weather and the company of family and friends. I especially enjoy listening to bullfrogs croaking, birds singing and kids giggling?or shrieking with delight as they chase one another with water balloons and squirt guns.

I also think summer picnics are a good opportunity to branch out from the standards: fresh fruit, potato salad and baked beans. I wanted to make use of fresh vegetables from our garden, too. So this weekend I served something new that was a real hit with my family and friends.

Try the following Lemon Orzo Primavera, courtesy of  www.allrecipes.com. I’d love to know what you think of it!

Lemon Orzo Primavera

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1c. uncooked orzo pasta
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium zucchini, shredded
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat.
  2. Stir in orzo, and cook 2 minutes, until golden.
  3. Stir in garlic, zucchini, and carrot, and cook 2 minutes.
  4. Pour in the broth and mix in lemon zest.
  5. Bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed and orzo is tender.
  7. Season with thyme and top with Parmesan to serve.

Recipe Notes

Photo from AllRecipes.com