cheesy baked orzo with leeks, asparagus, eggplant and oregano

My somewhat crazy summer begins this week, as I head to Minnesota for a month. I get to see my friend Sarah get married in Duluth, take care of my parents' dog while they're on a trip, run Grandma's marathon with Michael and see Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros in Minneapolis. And spend the Fourth of July with the extended family. I'm really looking forward to some time at home. And after that I'm off to Germany, and then soon thereafter Providence, with a brief trip to North Carolina for Michael's family reunion. Quite a lot ahead - and somehow I have to be working along the way...

So last night I had a little potluck gathering to get friends together before I head out of town. Potlucks are my favorite. Especially when you have friends who are super talented cooks. Although it was a bit last-minute, people showed up and brought delicious food: a spicy vegetarian vindaloo, a rice pilaf, thai coleslaw, dulce de leche and a citrus champagne punch... It was really wonderful. Good food and good friends.

This recipe is inspired by the baked orzo from Yottam Ottolenghi (via the Guardian). I changed the veggies slightly to make it more seasonal (asparagus and leeks). It takes a while to do all the vegetable prep, but the flavors are great and it's both fresh and comforting.  I also made these sesame noodles (pictured above left) and an apple cake, which I will post later. I shouldn't even be taking the time to post this one right now... but blogging is so much more fun than packing for a month, cleaning my room, and organizing my office! :)

two delicious pizza ideas and a good dough recipe

This is a good dough recipe. I like doughs with a bit of olive oil and honey or sugar. I know I just made pizza...but the weather was so amazing today and this felt like a perfect summer meal, especially with a nice green salad on the side. :) We used a pesto base for both pizzas, and decorated one with salami/tomatoes/fresh mozarella/garlic/parmesan, and the other with shaved asparagus/red onion/pine nuts/fresh mozarella.

pizza dough: 
makes 2 med-sized pizzas
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar (or honey)
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
2 1/4 cup flour (can mix white/wheat)
2 T olive oil
1 tsp salt

Mix the yeast and warm water, let it sit 5-10 minutes until foamy. Add sugar and olive oil to the water. Mix flour and salt in a separate bowl, and then add the liquid and mix with a wooden spoon until it starts to come together. Dump out on a floured surface and knead 5-7 minutes until it turns into a nice, smooth ball. Put in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit to rise until doubled (2 hours).

Then heat the oven as high as it goes, and prep your pizzas. Bake about 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and browning, and the dough is browning around the edges. Sprinkle with some hot pepper flakes and enjoy!