Tomato Orzo Soup

I mentioned in an earlier post that my sister-in-law had introduced us to orzo when she made Tomato & Orzo Soup on a recent visit to our house. It was super yummy and Daniel even liked it {which is a big deal since he is not a fan of tomato soup}. I have this made several times since Amy left and have finally settled on a variation that we really love.

Thanks Amy for introducing us to orzo!

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots, cut into quarter-inch rounds
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 32 oz chicken stock
• 2 {14.5 oz} cans of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cups orzo
• salt and pepper to taste
• cayenne pepper if you like it hot {Amy likes it hot, we are good with a dash}

Directions:

• Heat stock pot on medium-high heat.
• Coat bottom of pan with oil.
• Add carrots and sauté for a couple of minutes.
• Add onion and celery and continue to sauté.
• Finally add garlic.
• Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
• Add orzo and cook for 9 minutes. I found that the orzo sticks to the bottom of the pan, so stir it frequently.
• Purée one of the cans of tomatoes, then add both cans to the pot.
• Add milk and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

This soup is perfect for a cold day. Serve with a warm baguette and a side of salad {or just enjoy a piping hot bowl}.