More Orzo in the Sun

I made another batch of orzo last night. John just LOVES it and asks for it all the time, and I like it too. It's yummy and easy, so there you are. I made it for dinner last night and then packed it up for lunch today too. This one was slightly different than the previous one I made. Instead of pine nuts i put in sliced almonds, and dried cherries replaced the cranberries. I switched feta for ricotta salata and added a chiffonade of spinach instead of basil. Now, I will say I think I preferred the original. The basil added a ton of flavor that the spinach is missing, and the cherries are slightly sweeter and more tart than the cranberries, overpowering the dish a bit more. There's also minced shallot and red onion for a little heat/complexity. I had all these ingredients on hand which is why I threw it together, but I also like to eat different things (although it looks like I constantly eat the same thing, I know).

I placed my salad on top of a bed of cabbage and carrots I had leftover from last night. We had orzo and a green salad and some delicious Basque cheese with our favorite seeded sourdough baguette. But I just wasn't hungry so I had about two bites of dinner before packing it up for lunch (this is VERY unusual by the way). But lunch was delicious. I ate sitting in MacArthur Park with some friends. I love getting out on a work day and getting 30 minutes of sunshine. Really improves my day, I'll say that. And yes, the above picture is my tupperware perched on top of legs. Trying to get a tan!