Family Recipes - Orzo Salad

This is the perfect go-to recipe for just about everything.  It works as a side dish, quick lunch, a pot luck dinner or even a main dish with some added protein; chicken or salmon anyone?  Everybody loves it and it is really easy to make (do you see a pattern here?).  
This recipe yeilds enough for 6 plus leftovers!  Oh, feel free to omit or add things to make it your own...this is truly  an adaptable dish:

Orzo Salad
1 Quart chicken broth (4 cups)
1 1/2 cups orzo
1 can chick peas (drained and rinsed)
a handful of grape tomatoes halved (or use what you have)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves 

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tsp. honey

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice and honey in a bowl and slowly add in the olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan; add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes.  Drain and transfer to a wide-rimmed bowl to allow it to cool completely.  Toss the orzo with the chick peas, onion, fresh herbs and about 3/4 of a cup of the vinaigrette.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature or cold.  

Enjoy!