Umm Ekkk? And ew.

So the joy of cats. Every now and then Sparky loves to give us a 'present'. Yes you can see where this is going . . . a bird? a mouse?


no this morning I opened the door to find - a MOLE

blech.

More kitchen favorites

In addition to the couscous - here are a few more faves from our kitchen. Sorry I dont have pics - trust me these are great!

Broiled Shrimp with Garlic, Tomatoes and Feta

1lb frozen whole med. shrimp
1 lemon
2-3 teas minced garlic
1 pkg. cherry tomatoes halfed
1 small container reduced fat feta
olive oil drizzle

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spread shrimp, tomatoes and garlic over the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and the juice from 1 lemon. Top with feta and broil on med-high for 8-10mins or until shrimp is opaque and feta is slightly browned.


Bruschetta Stuffed Salmon

This works best with a whole salmon on the BBQ but could also be done in an oven.

Bruschetta:
3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
fresh ground pepper and coarse salt

Purchase (or have your butcher do this for you) a whole de-headed salmon, split and cleaned. Stuff the cavity with the bruschetta. Wrap the fish loosely with foil and BBQ until fork tender. (about 20mins for a medium fish)

What do I eat? Couscous!!

This is a question I am frequently asked: What do you eat??

I never seem to tire of this question because I too love to know what other people are making and eating in their own homes! I am not a vegetarian though I must admit I don't really like red meats and have stopped eating pork. It's not a political thing I don't really like the taste and texture of red meat and after reading the book 'Skinny Bitch', I can never, ever look at a pig the same way again!!

So here is something we do eat a lot of: Couscous. If you haven't tried it yet you are missing a delightful, yummy and amazingly versatile little grain! And did I mention FAST and EASY?? Here are three of my go-to ways to use couscous. These can be great side dishes to fish or chicken but also make a fantastic lunch all on their own! Have more than 2 people to feed - just double the recipe! ENJOY!

Couscous with Parmesan and Peas:
1 Cup water
1 cup couscous (I always use the trader joe's whole wheat kind)
1 Tablespoon Butter (the real thing is nicest but you could use olive oil)
1 cup frozen peas (you dont need to cook them they will be perfect after five minutes)
1/4 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat. Add couscous, butter and peas. Cover. Let sit for 5mins. Fluff with fork. Stir in Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.


Couscous with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Feta:
1 Cup water
1 cup couscous (I always use the trader joe's whole wheat kind)
1 whole sweet onion sliced very thin
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup feta cheese
salt and pepper

Heat your oil in a non-stick pan (I use my wok) and cook onions over med. heat until they start to brown slightly. This takes 5-10 mins. Add mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes longer or until the mushrooms begin to soften. Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat and add the couscous. Cover and let sit for 5mins. Fluff with a fork. Transfer couscous to pan and stir into mushroom and onion mixture. Stir in Feta. Salt and pepper to taste.


Dorinda's Couscous Tabbouleh:
1 Cup water
1 cup couscous (I always use the trader joe's whole wheat kind)
1 large bunch fresh parsley (about 1 cup finely chopped)
juice of two lemons (fresh is best but you could sub 1/4 cup lemon juice)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 can (drained) Garbanzo beans
2 Tablespoons olive oil (don't scrimp)
Salt and pepper


Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat and add the couscous. Cover and let sit for 5mins. Fluff with a fork. Transfer to refrigerator for a quick chill while you prep the rest of your ingredients. Chop parsley - finner is better. Chop tomatoes. Drain chickpeas. Remove couscous from fridge and add all three. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the mixture. Stir gently to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.

thankful thursday

It hass been forever since I last blogged!! So I am kicking it back off with a thankful thursday! I am thankful for so many things this sunny morning but here are a few at the top of my list:

Nine years ago: