It was the best of pastas. . . it was the BEST of pastas!

Two nights ago, I wanted to make pasta. No real reason why, other than the fact that I love pasta. It's true. I know many of you are stunned by this shocking revelation. Sorry to be the bearer of such electrifying news!

Seriously - I wanted pasta.
Specifically - I wanted orzo.

I have made orzo a few times for my family, and sadly, they don't seem impressed. I really like orzo. It's small, compact, easy to mix with other ingredients. I like orzo. Family? Not so much.

So, I made a dish for them. . . and one for me.

Taking inspiration from my friend and my one-time hero (not so much any more) I made two pastas. But, I made them my way. (Note, my friend's link is the actual recipe that inspired me)

For the family, I made a Roasted Chicken Spaghetti with Peas. I made my own alfredo sauce, tossed the pasta with fresh chopped garlic, onions, peas, and part of a rotisserie chicken.

Note: I never buy rotisserie chickens. Let me rephrase that: I never used to buy them. I will be doing this again. . . soon.

Here's what I served the family:


Okay, now for my dish which was, by the way, the tastier of the two. (Okay, I probably made that part up -- but it was good!)

I made Martha Stewart's Orzo . . . .

Only, as you might imagine, I changed it up a bit. I served it warm, rather than at room temperature. I used dried basil instead of fresh. I added some rotisserie chicken. I doubled the garlic (yum!). And finally, I added some roasted red peppers for color. And it looked like this:


And, if I must say so -- I wasn't disappointed with either dish.

Or, to complete the quote circle I began. . .

"It is a far, far better pasta that I make, than I have ever made; it is a far, far better carbohydrate-induced sleep that I go to than I have ever known."