Sesame Me

Toasted Sesame Chicken Pasta
{Adapted from, "The Gathering of Friends" }
Serves 6

I love Asian flavors in salads. Candied pecans are always a smash too. Yum.

2 lbs chicken breasts
8 oz. bowtie whole wheat pasta
1 bunch asparagus
1 cup candied pecans (recipe follows)
Sesame ginger dressing (recipe follows)

Prepare pecans first so they have time to cool. Cook chicken over stove in a big pot of boiling water until no longer e-coli contaminated.Drain, and cut up into dices. Cook pasta al denta. Wash asparagus, clip ends, and blanch in boiling water for just two minutes. Cut into spears and set aside. Make the dressing, and toss all the ingredients into a bowl. Serve warm or cold.

{Candied Pecans}

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2-2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans

Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and pecans together and spread on a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. Let cool and then handle by breaking up into smaller pieces. Set aside.

{Sesame Dressing}

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup toasted sesame seed oil
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, pressed (or finely minced)
1 tsp ginger
4 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

In a small skillet, toast the sesame seeds until golden (it doesn't take long, so proceed carefully). Set aside. In a blender, combine the remaining ingredients, except for the sesame seeds. Puree and then add the sesame seeds only by stirring in with a spoon. NO BLENDING the sesame seeds:). You will have leftover dressing, ps.