orzo salad

I once made a fantastic orzo salad. I wrote down the recipe as I was adding ingredients. And I lost it. This was my quest to figure it out. It's not exactly the same, but it's close to fantastic (and super easy).

Source: Me

Orzo Salad
Serves two

Ingredients
2/3 cup dry orzo
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 oz feta, crumbled or cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
Cook orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, mix oregano, shallot, tomatoes, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl and allow to marinate until orzo is cooked. Drain orzo and rinse under cold water to cool. Mix all ingredients in with the orzo, salt and pepper to taste, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

tomato, cucumber + fresh mozzarella salad

I originally posted this in October... but it's such a summery recipe, I told myself that I'd have to repost once the season complied! This is delish and tastes even better the next day.

Tomato, Cucumber + Fresh Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients
3 tomatoes on the vine (or roma), however you want to cut them - I used grape this time
1/3 seedless or English cucumber, sliced
4 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
4 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt + pepper

Instructions
Toss all ingredients together. Salt and pepper to taste. For best results, refrigerate overnight.

pecan crusted chicken salad

Freddy loves pecans. I love chicken crusted in pretty much anything. Match made in heaven, I'll say.

This is another recipe from Cuisine at Home. It was crazy good! I served this over an "Italian Blend" of lettuce with honey mustard dressing. The magazine also included onions and mild crumbled goat cheese. Unfortunately, I was out of feta. :(

Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
Serves two

Ingredients
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half (6-8 oz)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Dipping Mixture Ingredients
1 egg white
1 teaspoons cornstarch
Juice of 1/4 lemon

Crusting Mixture Ingredients
1/2 cup coarse dry bread crumbs (I dried out a large piece of baguette)
1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Zest of 1/2 lemon, minced
1/3 cup pecans
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450˚. Prepare chicken breast by halving and pounding to an even thickness (I like mine 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick). Whisk together dipping mixture ingredients in a shallow dish. Put all crusting mixture ingredients into the food processor and chop into a coarse crumb.

Dip the chicken in the egg, then the crumb mixtures. Because the crumbs are fairly coarse, they won't adhere well. Scoop handfuls of crumbs, piling them on each piece, then transfer to a rack set over a baking sheet. Air-dry chicken 20-30 minutes to help set the crumbs (I didn't worry about air-drying).

Heat the oil in an ovenproof, nonstick skillet. Saute the chicken on one side, approximately 3 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken, then transfer the pan to the oven. Roast chicken in the pan in the oven 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Slice chicken and serve over a bed of greens with honey mustard dressing (below), the remaining browned crumbs from the pan, thinly sliced red onion, and mild goat cheese crumbles.


Honey-Mustard Dressing

Whisk together the following:
1/8 cup honey
1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste.