Chicken and Spinach Orzo Salad

Another day of rains, so no garden update. BUT, a chance to make dinner, and snap a few shots, while doing so.

Above First, heat a few tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, in a pan, over medium-medium high heat. Next, beat an egg, (or two if you are cooking more) and a little milk in a bowl. On a plate, combine flour, cornmeal, dried oregano, basil, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and fresh ground black pepper. Line up your hot pan, then the flour/seasoning mix, then the egg, and finally, your chicken breast tenderloins to seamlessly go between each with minimal mess.

Below Grab a chicken tenderloin, and dip it completely in the egg wash/milk mix.

Above After the egg wash, coat the chicken in the flour mix. Make sure to get all sides and the top and bottom.
Below Into the heated pan, the coated chicken goes!

My friend Jim taught me a lesson way back when we first met: Don't play with your meat! We met in high school, while both working at a restaurant. We would eventually work together in two more kitchens. Don't play with your meat! simply means, give the food a chance to do it's thing in the pan. Let it brown and crisp. If you flip it too soon, the breading comes off. No peaking, let it sit, and get nice and golden brown!

As for the Spinach Orzo Salad, click here for my Spinach Orzo Salad Recipe. Basically, Cooked Orzo, Chopped Spinach, Toasted Garlic slivers, Olive Oil, Lemon juice, Lemon Zest, and Fresh Feta. Some add Olives. Some add Tomato.


I've cooked now, for small groups, and large, including many meals at restaurants. My largest meal was a dinner for a big Italian American Catholic Church, outside Boston. I handled the grille, and I had a line cook for the fryer (fries, onion rings, etc). I had a prep person, too then.


I found out, that I personally love to cook people their meals. I truly enjoy feeding people. I enjoy seeing the satisfaction on their faces enjoying a nice, home cooked meal. At my home, I enjoy hosting people and cooking for them.