Mock-a-Roni

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orzo
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, or to taste

Directions

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. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir Cheddar cheese into melted butter until cheese starts to melt, 2 to 3 minutes. 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.

Spoon orzo mixture into ramekins and top each serving with bread crumbs. Place ramekins in a shallow baking dish.

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.