Balsamic Salmon and Rice Pilaf

So, as promised, here is a meal from last week to tide people over until I get going here again. This meal was a real hit and pretty healthy. We also had potato rolls with it since I had bought some for the BBQ chicken tonight and needed to use the rest.

Salmon
Salmon Fillets
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbl chicken stock
1 Tbl honey
1/3 C balsamic vinegar
4 tsp Dijon mustard
chopped fresh oregano

- Preheat the over to 400
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Place salmon on the baking sheet.
- Mix together the garlic, stock, honey, vinegar, and mustard in a small pan. Heat and simmer, uncovered, until the mixture thickens and reduces.
- Brush the glaze on the salmon and sprinkle with the chopped oregano
- Bake salmon for about 14 minutes or until it flakes. When done, remove from over and brush some more glaze on before serving.

Spring Vegetable Rice Pilaf
2 Tbl butter
1/2 C orzo
1 Tbl olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 carrot cut into matchsticks
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2.5 C of chicken stock
1 C long grain white rice
1 Tbl lemon zest
1 Tbl fresh thyme
1 C of spinach
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Parmesan cheese

- Melt the butter is a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the orzo and cook until a golden brown. Remove the orzo from the pan.
-Add the olive oil to the pan, then the asparagus, carrots, shallots, and garlic. Cover and cook until vegetables just start to soften, about 5 minutes.
-Stir in the stock, rice, lemon zest, thyme, and orzo and bring to a boil. Cover, turn down the heat, and simmer until rice is tender, about 16 minutes.
-Fold in the spinach, then stir in the lemon juice and Parmesan.