Party Italian Cous Cous

We had our usual monthly potluck and I brought Italian Couscous. It made a lot!! Wish everyone was here to enjoy some with us! This was originally a pasta recipe, but I had couscous on hand, so I used that instead and, as usual, changed around a few ingredients.

3 cups couscous, cooked as directed on package (you can use less if don't have a crowd) While it is cooling prepare the following ingredients and then add them to couscous and mix lightly:

1 box fresh cherry or grape tomatoes washed. If you use the larger ones, half them.
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup SMOKED mozzarella cheese - gives it a nice flavor - diced
1 Tablespoon fresh garlic, minced. (I use the kind already chopped and in a jar).
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1/2 roasted red pepper, diced

Dressing:
1 cup low fat salad dressing
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup rice wine seasoned vinegar (or another favorite vinegar you might have)
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce (like Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Other optional spices: turmeric, Mediterranean blend, dried basil, coriander - add a pinch or two if you like

Blend all dressing ingredients. Mix into the couscous/veggies/cheese. Serve immediately at room temp. or chill until ready to serve. Makes enough for at least 20 side servings. Enjoy!

Blueberry Season

It's been blueberry season here for quite a while. There is a little corner of property down the street that used to be part of a farm. The state/county bought this triangle for whatever they need little random pieces of property for - transformers, weigh stations, etc. But they only needed a tiny section and they have left the rest - about 1/2 acre of blueberries. Everyone in this area who knows, comes to pick free blueberries. When I first moved here, I thought people were going fishing in a small creek nearby - I always saw the cars parked along side the road at this spot.

We've had more rain this year and the blueberries are more plentiful - unlike last year. The bushes have a lot of little bushes coming up all around them. We are thinking of digging up a few and trying to have 3 or 4 bushes in our back yard. Not sure if it will work, or if we'll still be living here by the time they would be big enough to have enough berries for a pie, but we might try anyway. The little bushes are all getting trampled and choked out by the big, untrimmed bushes anyway.

Here's a recipe for Baked Blueberry French Toast. It is modified from a friend's recipe - I've tried to take some of the calories out and add a few ingredients that we like. It's a good "company" recipe or a nice holiday recipe because you can make it the night before and pop it in the oven the next morning. Amounts of ingredients are flexible - put more of what you like, less of what you don't like! Happy Blueberry Season!

1 cup Blueberries, washed
3 or 4 slices of French bread, toasted (or any bread you'd like to use)
4 oz fat free creme cheese
2-3 Tablespoons of light butter
2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup lowfat or fatfree milk
dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
sugar - 1/4 cup or to your taste (you can also use Splenda or other substitute)

Tear toasted bread in bite sized pieces and place in baking dish. Add blueberries. Cut cream cheese in chunks, or spoon the soft kind around the dish. Cut butter and place around the dish. Add salt, cinnamon and sugar to the beaten eggs and milk. Pour over the dish. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. This will give 4 of us a nice serving. Double or Triple for a crowd.

PS - I forgot to mention, yesterday, that we use a little maple syrup over the finished product (or sugar free syrup) - just like you use for regular French toast!