Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese Orzo

Have been looking for different recipes using orzo, as it is like rice, and maybe my Cubans won't say no! So will be posting quite a few - they may not be well accepted by the residents but they are still great or even fantastic dishes! Found on the internet but can't remember exactly where. Perhaps, the blue cheese is too heavy a flavor so why not Saga's Brie & Blue Cheese? Have yet to try it but am looking for a special occasion so that I won't feel guilty about eating the cheese.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  lb  uncooked orzo pasta
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons margarine
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 4  onions, sliced
• 6 1⁄2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (or Brie & Blue Cheese by Saga)
• 3 1⁄2 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 2  cups  shredded spinach
•  salt and pepper
• 1  pinch brown sugar or 1  pinch Splenda sugar substitute
•  red crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
•  freshly ground nutmeg (optional, if using a pinch or two)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat butter and oil in a large skillet over low heat.
4. Cook onion in this mixture with brown sugar until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Remove from pan with a spoon and drain on paper towels.
6. In a large bowl, combine blue cheese (or Brie & Blue Cheese if using), mascarpone, crushed red pepper flakes, onion, ground nutmeg (just a pinch) and mix well.
7. Toss cheese mixture with spinach and pasta, season with salt and pepper and serve.