Tri-Color Orzo Salad and Salad Elaine

Cook's notes: Two summer salads that are light, refreshing and healthy.
Tri-Color Orzo Salad Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound orzo pasta
• 3 TB. extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup or use lemon olive oil
• 3 TB. lemon juice
• 1- 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black 
• 2 cups fresh arugula or spinach 
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 12 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. 
• Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.
• Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Refrigerate 2 hours.

What we do know: Elaine ordered a big salad on almost every episode of Seinfeld. What we don't know: what the heck was in it. Here's our best guess; consider...

Salad Elaine
Salad:

• 4 cups torn lettuce- combination of romaine, red leaf, and iceberg
• 1 cup halved red and green seedless grapes
• 1 large apple, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 TB. grated onion
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 cup good quality olive oil or lemon olive oil

Directions:

• Combine all dressing ingredients except oil in blender or food processor. Mix well and then add oil slowly and mix until it begins to thicken. Cool in refrigerator. Can be kept for up to one week. Pour over salad immediately before serving. Only use enough dressing to moisten salad ingredients.