Mock-a-Roni

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons butter 
• 1  eggs slightly beaten
• 3 servings ground pepper black to taste
• 0.3 cup italian-seasoned bread crumbs to taste
• 1.5 teaspoons penzey's southwest seasoning italian
• 0.3 cup milk 
• 0.5 cup orzo pasta 
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Equipment

• sauce pan
• oven
• pot
• ramekin
• baking pan

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
2. Drain.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir Cheddar cheese into melted butter until cheese starts to melt, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add milk, egg, Italian seasoning, and black pepper to cheese mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until cheese sauce is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir orzo into cheese sauce until evenly coated.
6. Spoon orzo mixture into ramekins and top each serving with bread crumbs.
7. Place ramekins in a shallow baking dish.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until topping begins to brown, about 30 minutes. Allow 'mock-a-roni' to cool enough to handle ramekins without potholders, about 5 minutes.