Herbed orzo with feta, pine nuts, and chicken

It was a quiet day here today, I made banana muffins which the girls dug into after school, I have a good recipe if anyone's interested, let me know.

I am doing a fundraiser for the Autism Society tomorrow night down at Christopher Peacock Cabinetry and am going to be doing a quick cooking demo as well as a book signing. I wanted to share my recipe for a great main dish that travels well and can be prepared in advance for a buffet, picnic or outing.

Here's the recipe:

Serves 4-6

8 ounces orzo pasta
1 C. frozen peas
¼ C. olive oil
¼ C. fresh lemon juice
½ C. chopped green onions (about 3 stalks)
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
2 frozen garlic cubes
3 frozen basil cubes
3 frozen parsley cubes
½ tsp. ground pepper (or to taste)
pinch of Kosher salt
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1 C. toasted pine nuts
2 C. cooked chicken breast strips (Trader Joe’s makes good ones)-chopped

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain under cold running water. Add frozen peas.

In a large bowl, toss the orzo with olive oil and lemon juice. Add the green onions and mint. In a small bowl mash the frozen garlic, parsley, and basil cubes in 1 Tbs. of olive oil with the back of a fork, and add to the orzo. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add crumbled feta cheese, pine nuts and chopped chicken breast. Gently stir to combine.

Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

*This dish is also delicious with grilled shrimp or salmon.

I just found a container of freshly poached salmon from Trader Joe's which I am anxious to try. I hope it's good as it would be a great addition to the pantry.

I'll let you know.