Shrimp and Orzo

I tried out a new recipe tonight and it was a hit with 2/3's of the household. One of the best parts is that it all cooks in one pot.

Shrimp Orzo Skillet (from 29 minutes to dinner by Pampered Chef)

8 oz large uncooked shrimp
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 tsp sugar
8 oz orzo pasta
1 garlic clove, minced
2 C chicken broth
1 C clam juice
1 lemon
1 Tbsp thinly sliced (chiffonade) fresh mint
1 C frozen peas
1 TBSP butter

1. For shrimp, peel and devein shrimp. Add oil to skillet and heat over medium high heat. As pan heats, combine salt, pepper and sugar in a small bowl; add shrimp and toss to coat.

2. Arrange shrimp in a single layer over bottom of pan. and cook about one minute or until one side is browned and edges are pink. Remove pan from heat and flip shrimp. Allow to stand until shrimp are opaque throughout. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, add the orzo, garlic, broth and clam juice. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10-12 minutes or until orzo is cooked through.

4. As orzo cooks, zest lemon for 1 TBSP of zest and squeeze 1 TBSP of juice. Thinly slice the mint.

5. Remove skillet from heat and stir in peas, butter and lemon juice. Arrange shrimp over orzo; cover and let stand 3-5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with lemon zest and mint before serving.

My son and I loved this. My husband ate the shrimp and a few forkfuls of orzo and left the rest because he hates peas. I did not realize how many peas would be in 1 cup. The recipe suggests that you can substitute blanched asparagus spears, but I'm the only one in the house who likes those. Next time I might try to find a different substitute or I may take the husband's portion out before adding the peas. This was very quick to make and tasty. The sugar gives the shrimp a very nice caramelized flavor. I might grate a little Parmesan cheese in it next time too.