Lemon Orzo Soup with Chicken and Spinach

Cold? In need of a warm-up? A comforting bowl of Lemon Orzo Soup with Chicken and Spinach may be just what you need for the weekend.

The recipe serves 4 and is an Ever Ready Special.
Cook's Notes: Use a rotisserie chicken as a time saver.
Ingredients:

• 3 large pieces of cooked chicken, shredded or diced chicken
• 1 cup each of sweet onions, celery, carrots, and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon each of parsley, thyme, rosemary, tarragon
• 1 container 48 oz. chicken broth (low sodium)
• 3/4 cup dried orzo
• 1 small-medium lemon (zest and juice)
• 3 cups torn spinach leaves, stems removed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Heat oil and sauté carrots, celery, onion, and garlic for 2 minutes. Then cover and sweat veggies on low, about 8 minutes.
• Uncover and add in spices, broth, and orzo. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer just until orzo is al dente, about 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, and mix in lemon juice, and zest. Add in cooked chicken pieces and spinach leaves. Heat until spinach leaves are wilted.
• Optional adding in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese right before serving.
• Since orzo will absorb liquid more broth may be needed to add to leftovers.

Suggested food pairings-fruit and cornbread

Author Jean Marzollo certainly came up with a winner when she created the book "I Spy" in 1992. There is now a whole series of different themed I Spy books which encourage children to think, learn and explore on each page.
We have a small lemon tree and for the past 3 years we have been nurturing it and for any cold spell, we cover it with frost cloth. It had been adequately fertilized and watered but still no fruit. So disappointing until yesterday. I was sitting on the patio and much to my amazement I spied one lemon. Now I realize only one but one is one and at least it did bear fruit! So the find was the impetus for making the soup recipe posted.  Hoping for more this spring.