I'm Coocoo for Couscous!

Couscous is something I have been wanting to try out forever. It is a coarse wheat product that is used all over Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Traditionally it is used as a vehicle for stew or meat. However, more modern takes include cooking it as a side dish, much like any rice, and stirring in dried fruits, nuts, and herbs. With some slightly picky-eaters on my hands I had to be careful what I put into my dish. Despite my limitations it had lots of flavor. Instead of water, I cooked it in chicken broth, with dried chives, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Then after it had soaked up the spicy broth, I finished it with a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped parsley. I paired it with a simply marinated chicken breast and a salad. Turns out healthy CAN be flavorful.

I'm Going Banannas!

For years the overripe bananas have been piling up inside the freezer. Every now and then Mom will get around to making banana bread. Well, I decided to help her out and get rid of a few of the brown freezer rejects. I found a mix-and-match recipe in one of my latest Food Net. Magazines. First you picked your fruit, then your"mix-ins", and next you made the batter. I chose banana with chocolate chips and pecans. Then you mix your wet and dry separately, then stir together until just combined. Next pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake at 350 for an hour. The loaf came out nice and moist. I wasn't a fan of banana bread before, but I sure am now. Chocolate can make anything tasty!

Keesh Komponents!

Quiche is a French word, that now refers to a savory egg pie. However, the dish got its roots in Germany, and was known there as a kuche, or cake. A kuche is one of those dishes that you can add just about anything you like. So this is my version. I first made my pie crust. Then I sauteed a zucchini, that Mom and I bought at an organic farmer's market. While it cooked, I sliced a couple of potatoes and some of my home-grown cherry tomatoes. Then I chopped some of my garden's herbs and grated the Parmesan cheese we bought in Florence. The finale was some chopped garlic. I layered it all in my crust and then drowned it in an egg-cream mixture, with some salt and pepper. It got a topping of cheese and then into the oven she went. Not bad for my first attempt!