Family-Sized Dinner: Lemon Feta & Zucchini Orzo

Here's what you need to know:

This meal will make at least 4 servings - that's what "famiy-sized" means. My family includes me, my partner, and my cat. So, when I make a family-sized meal on a Sunday, the rest of it goes to meal prep to feed the rest of my family: Monday me (and my partner), Tuesday me, Wednesday me...etc. If you don't want to meal prep, you can be boring and make a half batch or even a quarter batch.

This meal pairs well with rainy spring evenings between 40° and 60°F. The light and bold flavors of the lemon and feta, mixed in with the occasional green of the zucchini, remind me of summer. (I don't know when zucchini is in season, nor do I care.) But it's a warm meal, and it's not exactly a light one, so I like to make it on the days when I wish it was summer time and can just about trick myself into believing it is. If you have a window in your kitchen, you should have it open while you cook this. Listen to the birds sing and close your eyes while you eat, pretending you're sitting by the pool at your rich mother-in-laws estate and daintily spooning bird-sized portions of lemony not-rice while the sun kisses your bare shoulders. In reality, once you've finished shoveling your mouth full of carbs, you can spend the evening on the couch with a full belly and not really care anymore if it's spring or summer.

This is a one-pot meal, so I wouldn't pair it with any sides unless you have some more fresh vegetables you're hoping to use up. Personally, I don't recommend pairing it with a drink because the lemon/feta mix overshadows any alcohol mix you'd like to use as an accent. If you must have something, pick a dry white wine - Riesling is as dry as I typically go.

You should probably use:

3 TBS olive oil

1/2 sweet onion, diced

4 cloves minced garlic

1lb orzo pasta, uncooked

2 zucchini, grated

1 large lemon, zested and juiced

1 TBS italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. salt & pepper

3.5 c. chicken broth

1 c. milk

5 oz. crumbled feta cheese

2 TBS dill

my two cents on ingredients: You can usually use whatever cooking-safe oil you have laying around in place of olive oil. Just beware that different oils may have lower burning points, so monitor your food closely. You can also use whatever onion you prefer or have laying around as well, and adjust the amount to your tastes. Onions are pretty forgiving. I use Better Than Bouillon instead of chicken broth and bottled lemon juice because I'm a cheapskate. I also sometimes substitute oat milk for regular, and that's fine. Lastly, measure the feta cheese with your heart. And no, I don't know how to "grate a zucchini." I do it differently every time.

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

2. Add orzo and stir for 1-2 minutes to toast. Make sure it's coated in the oil.

3. Add zucchini and stir for 2 minutes.

4. Add lemon juice/zest, italian seasoning, salt & pepper, chicken broth, and milk. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Add more broth if you think it's necessary.

5. Once the liquid is mostly gone, remove pan from heat. Stir in feta and dill. Serve!