There are many times that I have made a recipe by using what I had in the pantry and refrigerator. You can get creative with using spices, sauces, vegetables, etc. I will admit that sometimes my creative dish turns out terrible and I learn from it. When that happens, I assess what worked and what didn’t. It can be a matter of adding more of something or not adding something. When an original recipe works, it’s time to write it down and make it more often. Don”t be afraid to experiment. You may come up with the best recipe you have ever tasted!

Here is an example of a recipe that I made by using what I had. I think this one worked out well.

Chicken and Orzo Italian Dinner

2 cups of Orzo

1 can of mushrooms (stems and pieces)

1/2 cup of sour cream

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 or 2 cups of water

salt and pepper

1 onion

1/2 cup of salsa verde

olive oil

green bell pepper

1 packet of Good Seasons Italian dressing

Pour the packet of Italian dressing into a large ziplock bag. pour a few drops of olive oil on the chicken breasts and a few drops in the bag.

Place the chicken breasts in the bag, zip it and shake it all up very well until breast are coated.

Next heat you skillet on low to medium heat then add a few drops of olive oil to skillet. cook the chicken thoroughly on both sides.

While the chicken is cooking, chop up the onion and the pepper. Place in a separate bowl. Add the can of mushrooms to the onions and pepper, drain the can before adding.

Next, mix the sour cream, salsa verde and the soup together in a separate bowl.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the frying pan, set aside.

Next pour in the onion mixture and stir fry for a few minutes until the onions look translucent. Next pour in the soup mixture in with the onion mixture. cook on low heat, stirring frequently. once blended well, pour in the orzo. The orzo needs time to cook and it will soak up much of the soup mixture, so add 1 or 2 cups of water depending on how much liquid gets absorbed. cook slowly. The cooking time will vary depending on the heat temperature. I usually have to taste a piece of the orzo to know when it is cooked. You don’t want it under cooked and you don’t want it to over cook and get mushy either. So watch it.

Once it is cooked return the chicken to the skillet to make sure it is heated. Serve while warm.

You could leave out the chicken if you want a meatless meal. This dish can be served with a salad or as a one pot meal.

Enjoy!