Orzo and Green Beans

from: Martha

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
2 1/2 cups fresh lime juice (about 20 limes), plus 4 limes, thinly sliced crosswise, for garnish
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

Directions
Bring granulated sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium pan over high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Add sugar syrup and mint to a blender; puree. Pour through a very fine mesh sieve into a large serving container; discard solids.

Add lime juice, superfine sugar, and 2 quarts water to a serving container. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

To serve, add ice cubes to fill and garnish with lime slices.

from: Everyday Food May 2006

Ingredients
2 T olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 t dried oregano
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
coarse salt & ground pepper
1.5 lbs frozen large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 T chopped fresh mint plush more for garnish
4 oz feta cheese

Directions
Heat oven to 475. With rack in upper third. Heat oil in a large skillet over med. Add scallions, garlic and oregano; cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 min.

Add tomatoes. Cook over med stirring occasionally until no liquid remains in the skillet, 10-15 min. Season with salt and pepper.

Add shrimp and mint to skillet. Stir to combine; transfer to an 8-inch square (or other shallow 2 qt) baking dish. Crumble feta over top.

Bake until liquid is bubbling, cheese is beginning to brown and shrimp in center of dish are opaque, 15-20 min. Serve with orzo and green beans, sprinkled with additional chipped mint.

Nutritional Info (with orzo and green beans, 1/4 recipe(
563 calories; 20.5 g fat; 46.6 g protein; 47.9 g carbohydrates; 5.7 g fiber

from: Everyday Food May 2006

Ingredients
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 C orzo
8 oz green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T olive oil

Directions
In a med saucepan of boiling salted water, cook orzo 4 minutes. Add green beans; continue cooking until beans are tender and orzo is al dente, about 5-6 min.

Drian orzo and return to saucepan. Mix in lemon juice and oil. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.