at home with ann

There is more corn.  And more corn to come.  I'm building up my freezer stash to help remind myself of August when it's snowing.  In the meantime, fresh salads like this are versatile, adaptable and delicious.  A couple weeks ago I was working on a different corn recipe; a summer squash and corn fritter.  My batter didn't hold together particularly well, and little pieces of corn were falling off into the pan.  As the oil in the pan got hotter, the corn kernels did as well, resulting in popping corn exploding all over the kitchen.  It ended with hurling the lid on the pan, running out of the room, and doing a full kitchen clean after dinner.   Needless to say, it didn't make it on the blog.  I'm happy to report that this recipe involved no corn-induced burns or late night swiffering.    Corn and Feta Couscous with Basil Vinaigrette based on Rachael Ray 1 cup couscous 3/4 cup basil leaves 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup red wine ...

I've made Mediterranean Couscous salad many times before.  It's one of my favorite cold summer salads, perfect for a side or main dish.  Excellent to take to parties, and excellent eaten straight out of the fridge.  Perhaps I should stop sharing that I eat food straight from the fridge, fork in hand, lest you think I have no manners.  Last year, I shared a version of it here .  The Lemon Tahini Dressing on that one is amazing, and I highly recommend you make it.  This is essentially the same salad, just with an easy, light vinaigrette dressing instead.  My in-laws came over yesterday to visit Colin, and we had this with lunch.  Colin had been shorted on his morning nap and wasn't his usual cheerful self the whole time, but at least everyone seemed to like the couscous.  Mediterranean Couscous Salad 1 cup whole wheat pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous) 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered 1 english cucumber, chopped 1 red bell...

There's a problem with the oven.  A problem that means it takes an hour to preheat to a temperature that is no where near the one set, and randomly cools down while it's cooking.  This meant that after "roasting" in a 425 degree oven for nearly 2 hours , the pan came out cool enough to touch and the vegetables were lightly cooked and lukewarm.   Needless to say, Jon's to-do list for this weekend includes fixing the oven or buying a new one.  This meal was inspired by yet another Pinterest find.  This one , to be specific.  I strayed quite a bit from the original recipe, but really it just put the idea into my head to do a roasted vegetable couscous.  Also, the website is British, so it says things like aubergine instead of eggplant, courgettes instead of zucchini, and shallow tin instead of baking sheet.  That's fun.  Roasted Vegetable Couscous 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 r...

Before we get started today, I need to jump on the royal wedding bandwagon. I've actually always been on the royal wedding bandwagon.  In 1981, my mother and I watched Charles and Diana's wedding together.  I was too young to remember watching, but I do remember that dress.  I visited St. Paul's Cathedral when I went to England at age 15, and hoped I'd run into William around London and he might decide that I'd make a good princess.  If it wasn't going to be me, Kate makes an excellent choice.  I confess that I haven't seen all the coverage yet today (although of course I DVR'd it), however, my first impression is that she looked lovely and they seem very happy.  It has been reported to me that they had the same hymn at their wedding as we did at ours, and also my mother said Kate didn't look as beautiful as I did on my wedding day, but mothers are supposed to say things like that. I should have made scones.  Instead I made couscous. This salad ...

This is one of those recipes I always come back to.  It's a nice change from the usual Italian or Greek flavored cold salads, and has some of my favorite ingredients (broccoli and feta).  In case you haven't noticed, I like to top almost everything with at least a little cheese. I would make an unsuccessful vegan.  Curried Couscous with Broccoli and Feta recipe from Cooking Light Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked couscous (I used whole wheat) 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets (I probably used about double) 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1/3 cup shredded carrot (I grated the carrots on my large microplane grater) 1/4 cup raisins 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar) 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 Tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed Bring 1 cup of water to a boil.  Add couscous, remove from heat, and cover for at least 5 minutes, or un...

While posting this recipe, I realized that I had already shared Caprese Couscous with you a month ago.  This one is slightly different, so I'll share again.   As you can tell, I love Caprese salad.  Juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil are the perfect combination in my book.  While on our honeymoon in Italy, in addition to the best pizza in the world, we ate Caprese salad nearly every day.  Even on Capri, itself. Caprese Couscous - Version 2 Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat couscous, uncooked 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved 4 ounces mozzarella, cut into cubes (or use bocconcini cut in half) 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 3-4 Tablespoons pesto olive oil kosher salt balsamic vinegar                                   Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan with a lid.  Add a little kosher salt and olive oil. Stir in the couscous, cover, ...

Daylight Savings Time always throws me off.  I love having extra light, but it usually takes me about a month to remember how to change the clock in my car.  It is also a sign that despite the mid-30 degree temperatures and snow today that Spring will soon be here.  And that means a change from stews and casseroles to lighter fare.  This is a ten minute meal that has endless possible variations. Caprese Couscous 1/3 cup uncooked couscous 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1 bunch basil, chopped 4 oz. mozzarella, cut in chunks 1 cup chickpeas 3/4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon italian spice blend (basil, oregano, thyme, garlic) salt and pepper In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water and teaspoon olive oil to a boil.  Add the couscous, cover, and remove from heat for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and chickpeas.  Add in couscous when cooked. Mix the dressing with the vinegar and spices, pour over...

This is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had a chance to blend together.  It tastes good warm, cold, or room temperature, making it an excellent take-with-you meal.   Curried Couscous with Broccoli and Feta slightly adapted from Cooking Light Ingredients 1 3/4  cups  water or vegetable broth, or a combination 1  cup  uncooked couscous 1 1/2  cups  small broccoli florets 1/2  cup  finely chopped red onion 1/3  cup  shredded carrot 2  tablespoons  red wine vinegar 1 1/2  tablespoons  olive oil 1  tablespoon  sugar 1 1/2  teaspoons  curry powder 1  teaspoon  bottled minced fresh ginger 3/4  teaspoon  salt 1  (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese Preparation Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually st...