Creamy Parmesan Orzo

Here is recipe number two.

This recipe was brought to me by my friend Claire, who subsequently found it in Cooking Light magazine. I heart this dish! It is everything that you want in a pasta side dish...cheesy, creamy, yummy. I could go on and on. The only change I will make is the omission of the pine nuts. We don't have those on hand so I will just skip them. It really does not affect the outcome of the dish; the pine nuts are just a textural element. Either way, with or without the nuts, this recipe is awesome!

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup orzo
1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted

Directions:
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and orzo is done (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with the pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Yield:
4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup) = 5 WW points per serving

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 236(24% from fat); FAT 6.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 9.9g; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 82mg; SODIUM 412mg; FIBER 1.7g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.8g