Orzo with Zuchini, Feta & Dill

Oh how I love this salad. I can taste all of the flavors just looking at the pictures, and I am actually starting to salivate! I really do love orzo pasta so much and don't cook with it nearly as much as I would like to. Its just kind of one of those things that I forget about...that is until I make a few of my favorite recipes that include it and then I wonder why I don't use it more often! Orzo is such a meaty little grain that is shaped like a really big piece of rice and can be very hearty and satisfying as a main dish even without meat. This salad has a lot of loaded flavors with the marinade, feta and dill but they all work so cohesively together. Whats even better is that it makes great leftovers. Something about having all of the flavors sit and get to know each other for a bit longer makes it taste even better in the days to come :) 

Orzo Salad with Zucchini and Feta

Ingredients:

Salad-

1 box orzo

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 1/4 pounds small zucchini, cut into thin half moons

8 ounces feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Dressing-

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large zip lock baggie combine the oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add your sliced zucchini and let marinate, tossing occasionally, for a minimum of two hours or longer. To make dressing, combine all of the ingredients and set aside. Once the zucchini has marinated, sauté over medium heat with marinating liquid, briefly, making sure not to over cook your zucchini into mush. While the zucchini is cooking prepare your orzo according to package directions. To assemble salad, combine the orzo, zucchini, crumbled feta cheese and dill and taste for needed salt and pepper.