It’s greening up. We had some wonderful walks this week with a couple of swims. Not for me though, I kept my distance. Things started to dry out and the path was definitely walkable by the end of the week. You can see how red the bushes are getting and a little fuzz on the hillside.
Update on Jenny Lane
Big meeting at the beginning of the week with some of the key players in making the final “bathroom” upgrade possible. The contractor and the electrician. We came to a satisfactory agreement and so we are moving forward. The tile has been ordered – a big step. The cabinets were ordered a couple of weeks ago so we should be hearing something pretty soon. The insulation people have been lined up but they can’t come in until the electrician does his magic. Always one more step to be done as we try to pull the pieces of this puzzle together. Floor, heated flooring, tile go in first, then the electricity gets pulled and then the insulation and then the walls and fixtures. Seems like it will take forever but once they get going it will go fast.
Walking This Week
We walked over on the rail trail and then through the Proctor ski area. Spring is really showing its face and we could see the bushes getting redder and some of them even getting a little bit of green. The river doesn’t look as angry here as it did when the snow melt was filling it but it is still very fast. I didn’t let Bean go in very far as I am pretty sure she would be swept away. What a difference a week makes.
Cooking This Week
Pesto Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad
This looks delicious so it is going to be on our menu this week. Half Baked Harvest puts out suggested meals for the coming week and this is one for this week. Looks yummy to me.
Ingredients
SALAD
1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
1 pound dry orzo pasta
1/2 cup basil pesto
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 roasted bell peppers, sliced
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, cubed
1/3 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING
1/2 cup mayo
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped pickles + 1 tablespoon pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss the chicken with olive oil and cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until lightly charred and cooked through, turning halfway through cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and whisk. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the orzo until al dente, according to package directions. Drain. Add the orzo to a bowl and toss with the pesto. Add the lettuce and 1/3 of the thousand island dressing. Mix in the chicken, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese.
- Top the pasta with avocado. Drizzle with more dressing. Serve warm or cold.
