Tilapia and Sardines in Creamy Asparagus Sauce over Confetti Couscous #FFFMysteryBox

FYI, this basket would have gotten me chopped.

Today I'm sharing a recipe with you a bit reluctantly. It's actually the result of a mystery box challenge that I'm doing with a few other bloggers, "Chopped" style. The way it works is, we drew names out of a hat (well, one of us did - we arranged it virtually), then mailed our assigned blogger a box of three (or four) random ingredients. We then had to take our ingredients and turn them into one cohesive dish.

I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty pumped to tackle my basket—until I actually received it, that is. I was stumped. It's a good thing I didn't have only 20 or 30 minutes to create something, or I would have turned in an empty plate. I kid you not, I went round and round and back and forth with this. My three ingredients just did NOT want to play nicely together. Curling up in a ball and rocking back forth sounded better than anything I could come up with.

Southwest Salad in a Jar

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sargento. The opinions and text are all mine.

If you were to ask me which one show I'd like to appear on, my answer would be Chopped. It's actually one of the shows my whole family will sit down in front of the tv to watch. It's fun and fast-paced, and best of all, it inspires creativity and banter—in the show and at home. Each person is shouting out what they'd make with the four mystery ingredients for that round. Heck, I shout it out even when I'm watching by myself.

Sometimes I wonder if I'd actually be able to come up with a dish on-the-spot that would please the judges. I'm not going to lie, there are baskets that leave me stumped. My plan, should I apply and be accepted to the show, is to have a handful of easily adaptable, basic recipe ideas in my back pocket. I can customize and enhance the flavors of the basket ingredients once I see them. I wonder if I'd remember any of them in the heat of the moment.

Today, I'm excited to be taking part in a little "Chopped at Home" contest! Sargento cheese challenged me to get creative and make a Chopped-inspired dish right from the comfort of my own kitchen. Just like the contestants on the show, I was given 4 basket ingredients to work with, and free use of my pantry and fridge.

Butternut Squash Stew w/ Chickpeas, Raisins, & Almonds over Whole Wheat Couscous

I have some fantastic, seasonal decorations hanging out on my kitchen counter.  And on my kitchen table.  And wherever else they happen to land.  They're the same ones I have every autumn.  And every winter.  They're totally seasonal - and the rich colors just scream warmth and comfort.  Now, they're not the exact same ones as I had last year.  Or the year before.  Wanna know why?  Because those are probably out in the compost pile turning into black gold and scoring me a few compost pumpkins and squash.

Have I lost you?  What I was trying so unsuccessfully to convey was that it is winter squash time.  Again.  Which for me means that it's time for some lovely decorating.  Because, while I buy these sturdy, oddly-shaped squashes in shades of brown, green, and orange with the best intentions...uummmm, cooking them...I rarely do.  They just sit around and look pretty.

Whole Wheat Couscous w/ Smoked Salmon, Baby Kale, & Za'atar (+ The Village Press Bag 'n Box Olive Oil)

Okay.  I have a question for you.  Have you ever purchased wine in a box?  Have you ever enjoyed it?  A show of hands, please.

I'm gonna go ahead and raise add my hand to those raised high (or raised low).  I have.  I don't do it regularly, but that's not because I haven't found a good one.  Back in the day, wine-in-a-box was a cheap way to get a lot of wine.  Or an easy way to drink without your parents knowing.  If they weren't home.  I mean, you can't actually see the level of the alcohol, let alone mark it.

I know there's some wine snobs out there who have probably already cursed me and stopped reading.  Their loss.  Bag-in-box wines have really evolved over the past 5-8 years, in my opinion and they're used more often to save on costs - both for the manufacturers and the consumers.  But I digress...I'm not actually here to talk about wine-in-a-box.  I want to talk about its cousin, olive-oil-in-a-box.  The Village Press Olive Oil in a box to be precise.

Much like wine, olive oil in a box is a wonderful way to reduce costs for food service establishments and those who use a decent amount of olive oil in their everyday life (like you and me...food bloggers, foodies, and people who spend a lot of time in their home kitchens, too).

The Village Press bag-in-box Olive Oil has a tap for easy use and is very easy to store.  I have a ridiculous amount of glass bottles (that I'll never give up completely) lining my shelves and often I'm playing catch-that-bottle while searching for something that has found its way to the back of the shelf.   I love the idea of being able to eliminate one bottle.  It may seem insignificant, but that bottle could be the one that slipped by me and is now oozing all over the floor.  Making me sad and annoyed all at the same time.  The bag-in-box stores easily, is at the ready when I am, and it helps to retain the integrity of both the flavor and the nutrients present in the oil by blocking out harmful ultra-violet rays.

Sold!

product:  The Village Press Bag 'n Box Olive Oil (The Village Press Extra Virgin New Zealand Barnea Olive Oil)

category:  food

packaging:  sleek, easy-to-store bag-in-box with tap that holds 1 litre (32 oz.)

appearance:   greenish-yellow

taste:  grassy and (oddly enough) somewhat spicy

about:  The Village Press Olive Oil is made from the most widely grown variety of olive in New Zealand, the Barnea.  Their grove sits in the golden wine triangle of Hawke's Bay (olives do well in the same conditions that grapes do).  Due to the fact that they do not filter their olive oil in order to retain the most natural flavor and nutritional value from the olives, the appearance will be slightly cloudy.

Since olive oil is best stored out of direct sunlight and in a cool, dark place, The Village Press olive oil is packaged in dark bottles (or bag-in-box) to help deflect ultra-violet rays that can break down the oil and destroy its health-giving properties.  The bag-in-box is perfect for bulk and restaurant sales.

The Village Press Olive Oil making process:

• The trees are shaken at harvest time and ripe fruit collected in a blanket under the tree.
• The olives are washed to remove leaves.
• They are then put in a mill which crushes and grinds them into a paste.
• A chamber holds the paste while it is gently paddled to release the oil molecules.
• The olives are then pressed in either the old style or a modern centrifugal press system.
• After pressing, the oil is decanted or separated and stored in stainless steel tanks until bottling.
• The oil is bottled using an automated bottling and labelling line (in house).
• In the centrifugal press, olives are crushed.  A maximum water heat of 28°C is used to assist oil extraction earning its acclaimed status of "cold pressed".  This means The Village Press olive oil retains all the nutritional values highly prized with olive oil of this calibre.
• Every bottle is stamped with a pressing date.

further info: purchase in the US | website | facebook | twitter | "On Olives & Extra Virgin Olive Oil"

my thoughts:  This is a great olive oil for drizzling over bruschetta, breads, and salads.  It has an assertive flavor adds depth to any dish.  It's great when mixed with herbs and a freshly baked loaf of bread for dipping. Add some cured meats, farmer's cheese, and a bottle of wine for one of my favorite types of meals. Oh yeah, and it was the perfect compliment to this meal of whole wheat couscous combined with hot-smoked salmon, baby kale, and za'atar.  The spicy, grassy notes were very present in each bite...especially when drizzled over the top before serving.

verdict:  Thumbs up.  I will spend money on this.

Whole Wheat Couscous w/ Smoked Salmon, Baby Kale, & Za'atar

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Keywords: entree salad salmon fish couscous kale

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

• 1 c. vegetable broth (or water)
• 2 tsp. olive oil + more to finish
• ~¼ tsp. sea salt
• ⅔ c. whole wheat couscous
• 2 handfuls baby kale
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 4 oz. (hot-) smoked salmon fillet, skinned & flaked
• freshly ground black pepper
• ~1½ tsp. Za'atar
• pinch crushed red chile flakes

Instructions

Bring vegetable broth, olive oil, and salt to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover and turn off heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Stir in remaining ingredients, then taste and adjust seasoning.

Give the whole thing a good drizzle and sprinkle with a pinch more Za'atar. Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Store any leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.

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*I received one free box (1 Litre) at no charge to test, try, and review.  All opinions stated in this post are 100% my own.

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PPN host: Briciole

Arugula and Lemon Couscous...

...over at Everyday Maven today! That's right, I'm honored to be GBOTW (Guest Blogger of the Week) over at Alyssa's place today. I hope you'll join me there for this easy, tasty, healthy recipe using my latest obsession - baby arugula.

Arugula and Lemon Couscous

Couscous Salad w/ Cucumber, Tomato, Mint, & Goat Cheese

I don't know what it is about couscous...but I love it.  The mouth-feel of it.  The distinct taste of the little pasta granule.  I really do think it has a taste of its own.  Odd?  I find it comforting.

Plus, it's another one of those you-can-do-so-many-things-with-it foods.  You can use it as a side dish or an entree.  And honestly, most often?  I find myself considering it an entree.  Even when I make it my favorite way...simply tossed with a healthy handful (okay two) of freshly grated Parmesan.  I don't know what it is about it, but I have to limit myself from eating a whole pot full that way.  Tossing it with veggies...cooked or raw...is another great way to turn it into a main course salad.  And just by switching up the add-ins and seasoning, it can be a different meal each time.

Funny thing, though.  My husband despises couscous.  Ummmm...what!?  What in the world is there to hate about it?  Really.  I wanna know.  He can't answer why...but it appalls him.  I try to reiterate the fact that he's nuts by insisting that he loves pasta and couscous is simply mini pasta.  Doesn't change his mind.  Weird.  Whatever.  I'm almost too embarrassed to say that this feeling has trickled down and infected my oldest child.  Two and three couldn't care less one way or the other...and nobody feels the love I do.

So yes.  Usually I wind up making a couple servings.  One for me now.  One for me later.  None for them.

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Couscous Salad w/ Cucumber, Tomato, Mint & Goat Cheese

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Keywords: boil salad side couscous vegetables

6017806

Ingredients (serves 2)

• ¾ c. couscous
• 1 c. boiling water
• ~1 c. sundried tomatoes packed in oil or slow-roasted cherry tomatoes
• ½-1 seedless cucumber, chopped
• 1-2 scallions, sliced
• ¼ c. fresh mint leaves, chopped
• ~1½ Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• zest of half a lemon
• olive oil, as needed
• ~½ c. goat cheese
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Put couscous in a large bowl and pour boiling water over. Add a good drizzle of the oil from the tomatoes, plus ~¼ tsp. salt and a few grates of black pepper. Stir and cover. Let sit for ~5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Once couscous has cooled down a bit, add cucumber, scallions, mint, and lemon juice. Toss. Stir in lemon juice and a bit more oil from the tomatoes or some olive oil. Season and adjust seasoning, if needed.

Dollop goat cheese on top and stir gently. Grate some lemon zest over the top. Enjoy!

adapted from Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros

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IHCC theme: Lighten Up!

cookbook review: Plum Gorgeous by Romney Steele + Honey-Glazed Duck Breast & Couscous w/ Cherry Salsa

Plum Gorgeous

Author: Romney Steele

Publisher: Andrews McMeel

Hard Cover: 178 Pages

Photos: yes

Chapters/Sections: oranges of memory, still life with berries, plum gorgeous, beauty & windfall

Cool Features: Absolutely gorgeous, enchanting photography...I get lost in the pages...just want to run my hands over the paper in hopes that I will be transported directly into the book.  The stories and memories woven throughout make this more than "just a cookbook".

(a few of the) Recipes Destined for my Kitchen: cherry clafoutis, honey lavender lemonade, moroccan orange salad, spiced plums, wild plum lavender jam, buttermilk panna cotta with moscato apricots, plum gorgeous almond tart

My Thoughts/Review:  I adore this book...as I said, I want to stroke the pages. From the moment I read Steele's tale of passion for the "colors, textures, shapes, and flavors of select fruits" in the introduction (entitled a gate at the window), I knew I'd be a sucker for anything that followed.  It is obvious that this is a labor of love about fruit and using it in its growing season.  It is a visceral memoir with recipes, quotes, and mesmerizing photos.  Steele encourages using her recipes as guides...substituting with what is local and in season for you.  I want to leave you with a small portion of the introduction; hopefully you will feel that pull that I do to pick up this book.

"Plum Gorgeous is surely a book about the sensuous and enchanting nature of fruit and what to do with it in the kitchen.  But more than that, it's about the pleasures and joys of the table: my own "longing for a touchstone" and a place to return to; the memories, maps, and connections that abound around each recipe; and the stories and tales that come with each."

Magical...wouldn't you agree?

Recipes I have already tried: Honey-Glazed Duck Breasts & Couscous w/ Cherry Salsa

 Honey-Glazed Duck Breasts (& Couscous) with Cherry Salsa

from Plum Gorgeous

2 boneless duck breasts

1-2 tsp. freshly ground coriander seed

salt & freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. honey

pinch ground cinnamon

cherry salsa:

½ lb. fresh cherries, halved, pitted, and some of them quartered

½ red onion, finely chopped

¼ c. almonds, toasted & coarsely chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded & minced

juice of 1 lime

⅓ bunch cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped

few mint leaves, cut into chiffonade

While they are still cold, score skin side of duck breasts.  Season w/ coriander, salt, and pepper.  Leave at room temperature, loosely covered, for 30  minutes before cooking.

Gently warm the honey with a pinch of cinnamon.  Reserve for basting the duck* and adding to the salsa.

cherry salsa: Meanwhile, make the salsa. Combine all of salsa ingredients in a bowl with about 1 Tbs. of the reserved honey.  Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.

duck:  Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add duck breasts, skin side down, and then immediately decrease the heat to medium-low.  Cook until the fat is rendered (pouring off as you go) and the skin turns a deep golden color, about 10 minutes.  While cooking, brush the breasts with a little warmed honey. *Be very careful with this step.  The honey caramelizes extremely quickly when it drips down onto the pan, turning the skin very dark.  Turn breasts over and cook to medium-rare (130° F), a few minutes more depending on thickness.  Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.

Slice breasts on the diagonal, arranging slices on plates.  Top with salsa, drizzle with any remaining honey, and serve.

couscous:

Stir cherry salsa through cooked couscous and finish with a drizzle of olive oil...simply delicious.

__________

*I received a free copy of this book to review from the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.

I am sharing this post with:
Debbi from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy is hosting PPN this week

Ready, Steady, Cook Challenge: Main Course ...with far too long a title to list

Now on to the Main Course of my menu for the Ready, Steady, Cook! Challenge...this was the part of the meal that seemed to flow from my mind the easiest. I posted my starter yesterday in case you missed it...where you can also see my list of pantry and free items and the seven items that I was allowed when planning my menu.  I almost feel like a shmuck for using the chicken breast.  I mean...how can you screw up a breast?  BUT, I did.  I used the breast.  Can I get bonus points for at least contemplating using the livers?  Seriously, I almost made a paté...but in interest of using all of my ingredients somewhat wisely, I ended up choosing the breast.  I actually ended up adoring the presentation of the dish...so colorful...so vibrant...just beckoning to be eaten outdoors on a patio here in the thick of summer.  I did wonder, though if it would be a bit too frou-frou for a manly man to feel like he could dig into.  Mexi put my mind at ease when, after setting his plate in front of him, he said MmMmm. That looks great!  Aw.  Then he proceeded to eat it.  With manly-like gusto.  And go back for seconds.  Nice.  Well, I do know my man and his tastes, so...  Since chile powder is on my list of pantry items, I decided to combine the smokey heat of chipotle chile powder with the natural sweetness of apricots.  I'm thinking this is one of my new favorite taste sensations! (All of the recipes on this page are set to serve three.)  I made a half recipe of apricot jam and divided it amongst this course and my dessert course...no nail-biting here...it uses all regulation ingredients.  Let's not even talk about those pesky green beans...

Grilled Chipotle Apricot Glazed Chicken Breast

3 boneless, skinless Chicken breasts
~1/2 c. Apricot Jam started a night in advance using this recipe (apricots, sugar, juice of a lemon)
1/2 of a small Sweet Onion, grated
1 Tbs. Chipotle Chile Powder
salt & freshly ground pepper

Start the coals on a charcoal grill (or alternately preheat a gas grill or even a grill pan).  With the jam still warm from the stove, stir in the grated onion and chile powder.  Set aside.
Once the grill is hot and ready, season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.  You will probably want to spray the grates of the grill with a cooking spray or brush them with a bit of oil to prevent sticking and make for good grill marks.  Lay the chicken breasts down and let cook until nice grill marks form on bottom.  Flip over and brush the cooked side with a very heavy slathering of the spiced jam.  Continue to cook until the inside temperature reaches ~155° F. Flip once more and brush the tops with another good slathering of the spiced jam.  Watch closely, because the sugars in the jam will burn quickly...it'll just take another couple minutes for the breast to reach ~160° inside...at which point you want to remove the chicken from the grill and let it sit for another 5 minutes or so, to let the temperature come up to about 165°.
Serve whole or sliced.

Grilled Chipotle-Apricot Glazed Chicken Breast

Smokey Apricot Salsa

3 Apricots, diced
~¼ ea. three different colors of Sweet Peppers, diced small
2 green Onions,chopped
juice of ½ a lemon
salt
chipotle Chile powder
few leaves of fresh Basil, chiffonade or chopped

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl, using a big pinch of salt and a bigger pinch of chile powder, to taste.  Tastes best at room temperature.

Smokey Apricot Salsa

Lemon and Basil scented Couscous w/ Dried Apricots

¾ c. dry uncooked Couscous

1 c. water

1 Tbs. Olive Oil

6 dried Apricots, diced small

leaves from a sprig of basil, chopped

zest of ½ a lemon

salt & freshly ground pepper

 Bring the water and olive oil to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover, turn off heat and let sit 5 minutes.  Gently stir in the apricots, basil and lemon zest.  Season to taste w/ salt & pepper.  Serve hot.

Lemon and Basil scented Couscous w/ Dried Apricots

Sautéed Green Bean and Sweet Pepper Strips

big handful of fresh Green Beans, ends snapped, cut in ¼'s lengthwise
3 different colors Sweet Peppers (~ ½ pepper ea.), julienned
olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat a sauté pan over med-high heat.  Add a good drizzle of olive oil, then toss in the beans and peppers.  Sauté quickly until just tender.  Season to taste w/ salt & pepper.  Serve hot.

Sautéed Green Bean & Sweet Pepper strips

That's that!  To serve, plate everything together and viola!

My Ready, Steady, Cook! Main Course

...coming soon- DESSERT!

Other portions of my Ready, Steady, Cook! menu:

*Starter

*Dessert

 ...to see other contestants dishes, check this page

Couscous. The ultimate fast food!

Couscous is Tasty

whether a meal or a snack

Secret addiction.

Ah, an ode to couscous.  I'm not sure what it is about it...but I swoon a little each time I eat it.  It cooks in five minutes...it's fluffy...it's warm and comforting...it's delicious with parmesan cheese.  What's not to love.  Okay, it's delicious with parmesan cheese may sound strange, but I promise you it's one of my favorite reasons for loving it!  Something about those whispy strands of pungeant, delicious cheese combined with miniscule grains of semolina wheat just does it for me.  I have to restrain myself from just standing over the pot and eating it all.  And NO, I'm not talking about the green kind of pot because it would all make sense then, wouldn't it?. I'm talking about the thing it was cooked in.  

Recently Near East sent me a couple of packages of their new flavor of couscous to try.  I really enjoy Near east brand, though I hadn't tried any of their varieties other than Parmesan...because sometimes I like really fast food and shun shaving my own Parm, tisk tisk...and I rather enjoy jazzing it up my own way. Since I love the parmesan variety and I thought that Toasted Pine Nut sounded pretty darn tasty...and since I am not one to turn away something free new, I told them to "put a rush on it"! 

Like I said, I prefer to just eat my couscous like a barbarian, but since Near East was generous enough to send me some for free, I figured I'd better figure out something to show it off a bit.  I made two dishes using the exact same ingredients...one's a little "dressier" if you will...one's a little simpler.  Both were every bit as delicious as the sum of their parts.

Grilled Eggplant w/ Couscous, Toasted Pine Nuts and Herbs OR Grilled Eggplant, Couscous, Toasted Pine Nut and Herb Salad
...one plated, one free form from the kitchen of girlichef
serves ~4- 6 (total)

One large eggplant
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 (5.6 oz) box Near East brand Toasted Pine Nut Couscous
~1/2 c. Pine Nuts, toasted
Olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper
fresh mint, parsley and oregano- chopped or chiffonade
juice of a lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
fresh cheese of some sort, preferably something tangy

Slice your eggplant into 1/2" thick slices.  Salt each slice and set it on a paper towel lined plate for ~20 minutes.  This will draw all the extra moisture out, allowing it to caramelize nicely on the grill...instead of just steaming.

In the meantime, prepare the couscous according to package directions. 

Make a quick vinaigrette by whisking together some olive oil and lemon juice (3 to 1, oil to acid) and adding the garlic, shallots and some salt and pepper with a pinch of herbs.  Toss a smidgeon with the chopped tomatoes.  Set the rest aside.

Quick note:  I used mint because I have plenty in the garden right now...and I had parsley on hand...I also had some oregano that I dried at the end of last season, so I just crumbled it a bit between my fingers to release the oils before I mixed them together.  If you have different herbs, feel free to substitute.  It'd be great with chives, cilantro or marjoram, as well!

Okay, once the 20 minutes is up, wipe the perspiration from the eggplant slices.  Heat a grill or grill pan.  Drizzle a little olive oil on the slices and rub it in; sprinkle w/ a little salt and pepper.  When the grill is nice and hot, add the eggplant and grill until you have gorgeous, golden grill marks and then flip and do the same on the other side. 

Okay, now to decide which way to go with your meal.  If you want to plate it up and dazzle your dinner guests...lay one slice of the grilled eggplant in the center of the plate.  Pack some of the warm couscous into a 1/4 - 1/3 c. measure (or something like it) and flip it over on top of the slice of eggplant.  Top with some of the tomato mixture.  Drizzle with a bit of the vinaigrette and artfully arrange the remaining ingredients around the plate. 

Or, if you're in a more casual mood, simply cube the grilled eggplant and toss all the ingredients together for a tasty salad!

Near East brand Toasted Pinenut Couscous has a pretty short "ingredient" list...which is good in my book.  It contains couscous, toasted pine nuts, autolyzed yeast extract, salt, dried onions, dried garlic, natural flavor, dried leeks, olive oil, dried mushrooms, soy protein, and spices (plus tocopherols for freshness). 12 things...not bad.

Near East has many great varieties which you can find at their site along with recipes on ways to use their products...if you prefer not to go the way of the barbarian which I personally find a bit endearing. Thanks Near East for the opportunity to try your new variety of couscous.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I wanted to make sure you knew that Near East sent me this product FREE (jealous!?) to sample.  I promise you they didn't influence my opinion in any way, though...my opinion and thoughts are all mine, baby.

I am submitting this to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for this Souper (soup, salad, sammie) Sundays this week, as well as to Chaya at My Sweet and Savory for her Meatless Mondays and Laura of Hey What's for Dinner Mom? for Just another Meatless Monday.  Also to The Sweet Kitchen who is hosting Presto Pasta Nights this week, created by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast!