summer eating

it's summer time again, and that brings along a whole host of changes, from clothing to attitude to culinary desires. everyone loves eating "fresh" in the summer -- no heavy creams, sauces, or other sleep-inducing foods, please -- only clean-tasting items, meals prepared with a light hand, and just a few ingredients. one of my favorite dishes has to be this watermelon salad i've written about before. but another favorite dish, and a more substantial one, is this tri-colore orzo. it's so easy to prepare, and so good to eat...especially outdoors with a glass of chilled white wine! try it out:)

ingredients::

1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
2 cups fresh arugula
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup dried cherries (i used dried cranberries...just as yummy)
12 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

directions::

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.

once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. serve.

source (image and recipe): giada on food network