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Ingredients

1/2 pound uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup black olives, cut in half lengthwise
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 grilled chicken breast half, diced
2 red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
4 sprigs fresh oregano

Directions

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the orzo, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink, transfer to a bowl, and let cool in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano, basil, onion powder, salt, and pepper. In a large bowl, stir together the cooked orzo, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and chicken breast meat until thoroughly combined. Pour the dressing over the orzo mixture, lightly mix to coat all ingredients with dressing, and spoon into the red pepper halves. Garnish each serving with an oregano sprig.

Ingredients

Creamy Buttermilk Dressing:
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Pasta Salad:
2 tablespoons salt
1 pound bow tie (farfalle) pasta
8 ounces trimmed asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 pound cooked chicken breast strips, pulled into bite-size pieces
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved and lightly salted
1 (14 ounce) can whole artichoke hearts, drained, cut into sixths
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted in a small skillet over low heat until golden
1/4 cup pesto (homemade or refrigerated prepared variety)

Directions

Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl; keep chilled until ready to toss with salad. (Store in clean jar with lid.)

Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 Tbs. of salt to boil in a large soup kettle. Add pasta and, using package times as a guide, boil, stirring frequently and adding asparagus the last 1 minute, until just tender. Drain thoroughly (do not rinse) and dump onto a large, lipped cookie sheet. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining salad ingredients.

Place all salad ingredients (except buttermilk dressing) in a large bowl or transfer to a gallon-size zippered bag. (Can be covered and refrigerated several hours at this point.) When ready to serve, add dressing; toss to coat and serve.

Ingredients

1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodle pasta, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 cups shredded bok choy
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup diced, cooked chicken breast meat
1 (5 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained
12 pods snow peas

Ingredients

1 cup red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
3 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Pour the red wine and vinaigrette into a resealable plastic bag. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place into the bag. Coat the chicken with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Pour the marinade into a skillet over high-medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until the marinade begins to reduce and the oil separates, about 15 minutes. Place the chicken into the skillet and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Stir in the shallots, and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme leaves and cook until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is browned and no longer pink in the center, about 4 to 5 minutes.