My mom made this dish over Christmas and I thought it was so good that she gave me the cookbook to bring back with me. The cookbook this recipe it from is called What Can I Bring? Cookbook by Anne Byrn. This is a great cookbook for people who have trouble of thinking of dishes to bring to parties and/or dinners. She gives great tips all throughout the book about preparing ahead of time and how to travel with the food. My roommate and I made it today after we got home from the grocery store. It was delicious, except for the fact our heat is broken and it would have been nice to have something warm to eat. Brrrrrr. It made enough for us to have for dinner, tomorrows lunch, and then some.

Orzo and Spinach Salad with Lemon-Cranberry Vinaigrette
Serves 8, prep time 20 minutes

Ingredients:

8oz orzo pasta (two cups)
salt
1 package (5 oz) baby spinach, rinsed and drained well
1 cup (4oz) crumbled feta
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/3 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook the orzo, uncovered, according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, place the spinach, feta cheese, and cranberries in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Place the lemon zest and juice in a small mixing bowl and gradually whisk in the olive oil, a little at a time, until the lemon dressing thickens slightly. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Drain the orzo well in a fine sieve (the orzo gets stuck or falls through colanders). Shake the orzo well to remove the excess water. Transfer the orzo to the bowl with the spinach mixture and toss.
5. Pour the lemon dressing over the orzo mixture and toss again to coat well. Serve cold.

Enjoy!

-K