Share a Spoon - Souper Salad and Sammie

<img src="http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu81/Adrienzgirl/Share%20a%20Spoon%20Warm%20the%20Heart/ShareaSpoon5.jpg" border="0" alt="Think Tank Momma"></a>
Happy Tuesday Smackers!
Share a Spoon Time
"SOUP, SALAD, and SANDWICH" Style
thanks to
@girlybitzgirl
for our theme this week!
I was so excited about this theme.  I am a huge sandwich fan.  Seriously.  I like sandwiches almost as much as I love chicken.  And we all know I could eat chicken 7 days a week!  Add soup or salad to my sammie and *cue Hallelujah chorus* we have sweet sweet perfection!
So I have two recipes to SHARE with you this week.  They don't go together.  One is a salad, that certainly could work as a meal in and of itself.  We ate this salad as a side however, with a sammie this week.

Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad
1 medium red onion4-5 small red potatoes1 cup carrots2 small zucchini1 cup fresh brussel sprouts1 head roasted garlic2 cups cooked orzo
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar1 teaspoon dijon mustard1/2 cup olive oil1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsleysalt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut all veggies to sizes you like.  I cut the brussel sprouts in half, used baby carrots, cut the potatoes in half or quarters depending on size.  I cut the onions length wise and a little large so that they hold their shape and large slices of the zucchini on a bias.

Drizzle the veggies with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.  Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  (Or until the are fork tender.)
Cook the orzo according to the directions on the box.  Substitute chicken stock for the water to add more flavor.
In a small bowl mash the roasted garlic with a fork.  Add the vinegar and mustard and whisk together.  Drizzle in olive oil and whisk until the dressing is emulsified.  Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the orzo and roasted veggies together and pour the dressing over.  Serve warm.  This is also a good cold salad left over.
Now....to tantalize your taste buds....

N'Awlins Style Red Beans n' Rice
1 large yellow onion4 stalks of celery1 large green bell pepper1 teaspoon cayenne pepper3 links Andouille Sausage4-5 springs fresh thyme sprigs5 cloves chopped garlic1 bag red beans soaked overnight, rinsed and drainedsalt and pepperwater
In a large soup pot over medium high heat add a couple of tablespoons of oil.  I use olive oil, but any veggie oil is fine.  Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper.  This is classic N'Awlins starter for everything.  Add a bit of salt and pepper.  The salt will help bring out the natural water in the veggies.  Cook for 5 minutes or so until the veggies are tender.  
Add the chopped garlic and sliced Andouille. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
Add the pre-soaked red beans.  Cover with water.  It'll take 10 cups of water or so.  Cook over medium heat, uncovered for about 2 hours.  Stir every so often.If the bean start to dry, add more water.
After two hour smash half of the bean with a potato masher or wooden spoon against the side of the pot.  The mixture should thicken but still be soupy.
Serve over rice, or by itself as a soup!  So yummy and belly warming.  GREAT for a cold winter's day!
NOW...I'm going to share my tips and tricks to make sandwiches special.
I add flavor.  That's right flavor!  Here are just a few:
Roasted Garlic Mayo - Add a couple of cloves of roasted garlic to a bowl.  Smash them and add your favorite mayo.  Stir until well combined.
Dijon Mayo:  1/2 cup mayo, 2 Tablespoons sour cream, 1 Tablespoon Dijon or Deli Mustard.  This is tangy and make any sammie a treat!!
Chop some iceburg lettuce.  Add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar, olive oil.  Salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.
Don't be afraid to experiment.  
Alright, now SHARE your favorites!!  LOVE and warmth Smackers!