Sweet Home Santa Barbara: What We Had For Dinner

This recipe was a big time favorite in our house. All five of us loved it. And, as usual, it was quick and easy.

Enjoy:

Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

6 cups water

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces

1 cup uncooked orzo

1 (1 1/4 lb) skinless salmon fillet

We used a 1 lb. fillet, and made 1.5X what the recipe called for. Still turned out great!

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from water with tongs or a slotted spoon, reserve water in pan. Drain and set aside.

3. Return reserved water to a boil. Add orzo, and cook according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

4. While orzo cooks, sprinkle fillet evenly with salt and pepper. Place fish on a foil-lined broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Using 2 forks, break fish into large chunks.

5. Combine fish, orzo, asparagus, and Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.

Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Per Serving (recipe yields 6 servings):

353 Calories

15g Fat

27.4g Protein

25.8g Carbohydrates

2.3g Fiber

64mg Cholesterol

1.5mg Iron

547mg Sodium

115mg Calcium

This has been a week full of great dinners. On Tuesday, I went to an appetizer party. Everyone brought different appetizers, and we ended up with so many yummy things. Needless to say, it was a delicious dinner.