Summer

coucoussaladI think couscous is one of my favorite side dishes. I love all of it's possibilities, especially the flavors it can take on when mixed with the right ingredients.

This truly is a "golden" couscous, not just because golden raisins are part of its ingredients list, but turmeric is used to give this dish its golden color. If you are not familiar with turmeric, it is a powder used extensively in South Asian cuisine.

Grilling the green onions in this recipe also imparts a smoky flavor. This dish went nicely with our grilled chicken and salad for dinner. I think you will enjoy it!

Read more ...

raspberrysoupRefreshing, sweet, crunchy texture, pretty....I love this! And as my husband schlurps away on this, he keeps repeating, "this is so good, but it's not soup".  I'm pretty sure he's doing it to annoy me, since I had an annoyed reaction when he said it. So he knows he's pushing my buttons, and it's working. "Of course it's soup, duh!", I said. We're such great communicators. 

Anyway, he keeps mumbling, "soup is hot". Yes, generally soup is thought of as being hot or warm and I will give him the fact that in the America's, fruit soups are not as common as warm savory soups. But,This Is Still Soup. And...chilled fruit soups are very common in Eastern European cultures....the mold from which we were both cut.

So, this is soup.  Let's not mention that him and I have both done our damage on an infinite number of bowls of chilled borscht...which he calls soup? I rest my case.

Read more ...

zucchinibreadMy sister has been making zucchini bread for as long as I can remember – and it’s always been a favorite quick bread, especially in the summer. It’s a great way to use up overgrown zucchini from the garden.

The pineapple adds some nice flavor and makes a nice alternative to raisins. I like to serve it sandwiched together with cream cheese and thinly sliced granny smith apples.

Read more ...